Cold Blooded Assassin Book 5: Nightmare in Red (Nick McCarty Assassin Series)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “Yes, thank God. What the hell do you think they’re up to?”

  “I guess you’ve gone over all the possible targets. We’ve had them go after landmarks. How about meetings with upper echelon leaders or groups?”

  “We have all of the above. It would seem likely their warehouse mole would know the answers, but he could also be their IT guy, the one who furnishes them with anything they need. We have them watched 24/7 now, but we only found them a few minutes ago.”

  “I’ll have to check on all this, Paul. I’ll call in Gus and John to work some oblique angles with the info we do have. I assume you’ve had them scanned for everything, right?”

  “No time for the complete workup, but we’ll have people looking for residue in the used towels by morning. I guess I’d be preaching to the choir telling you this is without doubt the dumbest situation I can imagine.”

  “When politicians are involved in buying votes and getting bought everything is at risk: our lives, our families, and our country. We psychos have to stick together so we can monitor and undo the damage, our coin operated politicos cause, so we may enjoy another day with all we have in this great nation at risk.”

  “You’d make a hell of a candidate, brother. Get the Unholy Trio together while I keep the Islamist tools in sight. One thing I’ll have is a nice force of darkness in place for any backup you need. Let me know right away if you guys find anything. I’ll send Clyde your way the moment you plot out either a target or a course of action. The only thing I have here are agencies ready to launch task forces - in other words organizational bullshit so as to look busy and competent while collecting money for pretending relevancy and necessity. I need to clone you. You have the instincts to point our politically correct forces in the right direction.”

  “I’m afraid anything other than sticking our thumbs in the dike to prevent the flood is all we can do, my friend. There’s a reason we have people in power like the ones we do. They’re the only ones willing to sell their souls to get elected. It would be nice to sneak in an American patriot once in a while, but let’s quit daydreaming. I’ll call with news from my ragtag superhero crew if we discover anything of interest.”

  “Until then… until then.”

  Nick squeezed Rachel’s hand. Call the boys over, honey, even if you have to go pick them up. I’ll start gathering our workstation together. The Unholy Trio must save our abused nation once again.”

  “Not funny. Good God, Nick… I thought Cincinnati’s action would have slowed the assholes down. I heard what you said about politicos but-”

  “There’s no use thinking about it,” Nick interrupted. “I keep it simple in my head. Do what needs to get done so we can walk down to the beach one more day. Anyone getting in the way of that, be it the Kader clan or Islamist marauders, and I make it hell on earth for them until I’m no more or they’re no more.”

  Rachel sighed. “If this keeps up, I’ll be practicing with the knives.”

  “You know the old cliché about families who slay together stay together.”

  “On that horrifying thought, I’ll go get the band together.”

  * * *

  At nearly midnight John pumped a fist in the air. He had been working on transportation schedules for land, sea, and air, trying to find any likely target in the Boston area. “Check this out. The Queen Mary II will be docking in Boston in three days. Although I can’t access the exact identities, the Company database claims ten members of the Royal Family will be sailing aboard her.”

  “Damn, that’s better than anything I’ve run across.” Gus moved over to check out John’s screen. “Why wasn’t this on the radar from before?”

  “The Royals many times move with only their own security services aware of where and when,” Nick answered, also moving to check John’s screen. “On a cruise like that, where the ship can be targeted at sea, it was probably a major coup for the Company to even get this hint. I see how you figured the Royal Family movement by inadvertent appearances tied in with ship’s movement, John. That’s some excellent work. I better get us a flight out of here. We’re taking everyone, including Deke and Cala. No one stays behind on this trip. We’ll do some book signings at the Harvard Book Store. It will be a great cover for us staying at the Boston Harbor Hotel again with Deke.”

  “Won’t we have to move too fast on this for book signings and fooling around,” Gus asked.

  “No such thing as fooling around in the publishing business. We already missed an opportunity in Cincinnati because of The Unholy Trio appearance. In Boston, we have a problem to solve outside the realm of The Unholy Trio. Once we’re settled in at the hotel, we’ll try and brush elbows with the two terrorist couples. Then, we go get their fifth wheel warehouse guy with our Queen Mary news to compare notes. I’m hoping to solve any mysteries about their operation real fast so we can get to work on exterminating it.”

  “It is bad the death cult has now become so user friendly with women dupes,” John said. “This new guise of using women as a couple’s ploy is very frightening.”

  “It was bound to happen sooner or later,” Nick replied. “We couldn’t expect them to remain as stupid as they have been in the past with using only men. It’s only surprising how long it took to advance their women from subservient human shields to window dressing on a kill op.”

  “What did Cassie say when you called her for an emergency book signing?”

  Nick chuckled. “I think you can guess at the answer to that question, Payaso. Cassie nearly exploded right through the phone connection. She’s calling our editor in chief contact, Linda Mushet, about furnishing a delivery of my novels in hardbound for the bookstore with an extra bunch of the new one ‘Assassin’s Folly’ on consignment. I told her I’d even do a talk about the one I’m working on now. She loves the theme and title of ‘Dark Interlude’. We’ll bring John with us so he can see what a fool you make of yourself at the book signing as the real life model for my character Jed. The readers love him, John.”

  “I cannot wait to see this,” John replied, warming to the suspicious look Gus was giving Nick. “Do they make a fuss over him and ask for his autograph?”

  “Absolutely,” Nick replied. “Ever since it came out in the trade magazines when I revealed Gus was the real life inspiration for the character Jed, the readers can’t get enough of him. He had a great part in ‘Assassin’s Folly’ so the readers will love talking to him about it.”

  “I admit it’s a thrill doing the signings. The most fun is when Nick has to handle a grammar Nazi or book killer,” Gus said. “That’s when it gets interesting. We had a woman attend who lectured Nick on clauses. She had Muerto shaking in his boots.”

  “This, I must see. So, at book signings readers take El Muerto to task for his writing? If only they knew the real story,” John said with wistful look upwards that amused Gus. “What restraint the great Muerto shows in not retaliating. I have heard these Book Killers spoken of before. They do hit pieces on successful books, but many times do not read them. Book killers assailing Muerto in a public gathering – unthinkable.”

  “A couple of them paid with their lives,” Gus said. “It turned out that the BK’s have an alternate passion in addition to crushing the sales of authors they pick at random. They also act as minions of other authors in the same genre. Those dead BK’s did a bit more atonement than they were expecting. They added terrorism and pedophilia to their list of wrong doings in addition to bashing Muerto’s novels.”

  “Muerto! I have read some of these unfair hit pieces on your glorious works of literature. We need to silence these dastardly critics. They must receive final punishment for their sins.”

  “Suck-up,” Gus muttered.

  Nick enjoyed the light hearted call for death to all BK’s but held up a hand in humble thanks while shaking his head. “Enough. We have a great start thanks to John’s catch. Go get some sleep. I’ll call our CIA Director and hustle us a ride to Boston. It’s been a while since the Dekester
has been in the big city. I’m hoping he hasn’t forgotten his big city manners.”

  In response Deke lifted his head briefly and snorted at the sound of his name.

  “He seems totally at ease with the decision,” Gus observed.

  “The Dekester believes in our cause. When it comes to terrorists, child predators, and BK’s he lives by the warrior code as put forth in the movie ‘Conan’ – ‘Crush your enemies. See them driven before you. Hear the lamentations of their women’.

  On cue, Deke sat straight and issued forth a short bark.

  “Deke says that is good,” Nick translated for Deke.

  * * *

  Nick glanced continuously at the entrance from their table near the front of the restaurant called ‘The Black Rose’ in Boston. Paul verified the fifth man who lived at the warehouse on C Street frequented The Black Rose for drinks and trying to meet women there, and in the crowded common area near the bar. The cobbled public thoroughfare for foot traffic which led from one bar and restaurant to the next including the famous TV ‘Cheers’ bar, also hosted street performers and small displays of various marketable goods. A one man show played guitar and sang various well liked country and ballad type tunes at the front. Nick had already sent Jean over with a twenty dollar bill for the man’s tip jar in appreciation for his talent.

  There had been no sign of the Algerian, Dabor Sidi. Nick finished his last bit of Ruben sandwich while enjoying the banter at the table between Jean and her guest on the trip, Sonny Salvatore. Jean continued a nonstop dialogue ridiculing all of Sonny’s small packing errors, including leaving his toothbrush and underwear at home. Sonny unpacked to also find he had his family’s TV remote in his bag by accident. The missing TV remote garnered many unhappy phone calls after Sonny called home the mistake. Nick had immediately overnighted it back to the Salvatores while enjoying the inadvertent packing miscue. To his credit, Sonny laughed with Jean’s audience, shrugging off the abuse. Jean seemed primed to get a rise out of Sonny. Nick nearly took a hand in the continuation, but Sonny ended it with one sentence.

  “Okay… okay… you’ve worked the payback enough,” Sonny told Jean with a smile.

  Jean’s eyebrows immediately furrowed and her smile disappeared. “What payback?”

  Sonny looked around in confusion. “Oh sorry. I thought you told them. My bad.”

  “Tell them what,” John asked.

  “Dagger hasn’t beaten me in knife throwing for two weeks.”

  Jean gasped. “My shoulder’s sore! I think I pulled a muscle. After all I’ve done for you, Sonny Salvatore, and this is the way you treat me – listing a temporary handicap for everyone to laugh at?”

  Sonny was having none of that. “You were having such a good time ranting about my packing errors I figured you wouldn’t mind me telling everyone about your number two ranking in the throwing knives competition. Oh yeah, and there’s nothing wrong with your shoulder. I should have known you could dish it out but can’t take it, Viper.”

  “Viper?”

  “Yeah, Gus,” Sonny continued as a red faced Jean tried to compose an answer to his assault. “It’s a pit snake that strikes without warning. I think it fits Jean better than Dagger.”

  Jean took a deep breath while absorbing the smiling silence around her. “Good one, Cracker. I went a little far on the packing stuff. The remote was funny though.”

  “The no toothbrush and underwear was a dumb packing mistake, but I packed the remote on purpose.”

  Sonny’s admission caused amused havoc amongst his audience. Dabor Sidi entered The Black Rose, all smiles. The woman greeter at the doorway met him with a smile. Sidi glowered at her without answering, walking by her to the inside bar. Sidi, dressed in a black pants and sweater outfit with black jacket, strolled through the crowded restaurant staring creepily at every woman he found attractive along the way while proceeding to the bar. Nick noticed Gus and John watching Sidi’s journey through the restaurant too.

  “That’s the guy, huh Dad?” Jean moved slightly to get a better look.

  “Yeah, Viper, he’s the one.” Nick grinned at Jean’s stiffening form next to him. “I like the new code name. So do you, I think. Don’t stare at the guy. We’re going to take him in here.”

  “Really? That is so cool,” Jean whispered. She then turned to Sonny to report.

  “I’m guessing the target has arrived, huh?”

  Nick smiled at Rachel across the table from him. “He’s here at the bar now. I’ll pay our tab. Then we’ll leave, but John will stay. I’d like you, Tina, and Cala to walk the kids back to the hotel as we talked about. Gus and I will help Sidi after John gives him a little something as penance for his drinking of alcoholic beverages.”

  “Will we see you later?”

  “Of course. It’s early. I didn’t figure Sidi would be by here until later. He’s getting an early start. So will we. It’s a good thing I have Clyde standing by. He didn’t think we’d get lucky this early in the evening. It’s only seven. Did you want to take the kids out somewhere tonight? Cassie’s meeting with us in the Sea Grille at our hotel tomorrow morning to discuss the book signing, but it would be safe for you to go do something fun tonight.”

  “I think we’ll go on the ‘Ghost Tour’ they have I mentioned to you. There are tours leaving every half hour up to 9 pm. I’ll take everyone on that.”

  “Good one. We’ll hit the warehouse and have our buddy Sidi show us around,” Nick said as he moved aside the dishes to lean toward Rachel.

  Rachel moved nearer to Nick although the noise in the restaurant covered everything they said. “I’m not real fond of knowing so much about your business, but I guess it’s necessary this trip. I saw the Daughter of Darkness noticed your man too.”

  “She did. I hope the Ghost Tour will get the kids’ minds off my business for a while. I know this is the looniest book tour cover we’ve done yet, but it had to happen fast, and I didn’t want to leave you all in Pacific Grove.”

  “Do you want me to make any move for you if we see the two couples you showed us pictures of in the room?”

  “Only if it is completely a coincidental happening. I’d be interested in their manner and attitude, but I don’t want you in any long conversations with them. Remember, they hate dogs, so if you take Deke for a walk avoid them if you can. I don’t care about their sensibilities, but I don’t want them hurting Deke’s feelings.”

  Rachel laughed. “I’ll remember.”

  After Nick paid the bill, his group moved toward the exit while John brushed by Nick on his way to the bar. “I will be out shortly with our guest of honor, Muerto.”

  “Be careful, John. Shoot the son of a bitch if he gets violent. We’re covered. If I hear a shot, I’ll rush in with credentials. Clyde will be on State Street waiting for us. Take no chances.”

  John grinned. “I will be fine. The Kabong will be helping his new friend to the street soon.”

  John moved over to kiss Cala and whisper in her ear. She smiled while giving him a quick hug before following the group out.

  Chapter Eight

  Altered States

  Dabor Sidi sipped his rum and Coke while making eye contact with all the women in the crowded bar area he apprised as likely targets for his glowering disposition. He knew Western women. They pretended superiority, but what they craved was a true master – one who would not permit the foolish mannerisms of equality. He felt a sharp sting on his arm. He turned to swipe at the spot with his hand looking around for what had stung him. Only people, noise, and bustling back and forth crowds surrounded him. Dabor could find no mark so he took a gulp of his drink. Then the room began to blur. A dark figure moved in next to him with smiling face peering into his.

  “Hello Dabor, my friend. I am Ebi Zarin.”

  “Im…impossible,” Dabor replied squinting at John. “You are dead.”

  “I am very much alive, Dabor Sidi. I’m here to help you. I think you may have had too much to drink though. Perhaps if we go
outside in the fresh air for a moment it will clear your head so we can talk.”

  The room began to swim in gently running colors with faces out of focus. “You know my name. How can you be here? You are listed as dead by the hand of a hated enemy: El Muerto. I…I am… not-”

  “Come Dabor, let us go outside where the night air will surely aid your state of mind. We will discuss then how I may assist you. All will be explained.”

  Dabor stared blearily at John for a moment before nodding his consent. “Yes… maybe that would be best.”

  John helped Sidi to his feet, putting an arm around him in a strong grip while shrugging at the smiling bartender who mouthed a ‘thank you’ at John. Guiding the drugged Sidi took only moments of time with John passing unnoticed through the crowd as he half carried Dabor past the entrance. On the cobblestoned walkways around The Black Rose, Nick and Gus laughingly assisted John, muttering about too much to drink while a black sedan drove alongside the men. Seconds later, they stuffed the nearly unconscious Sidi inside the backseat with John. Gus entered on the other side of Sidi while Nick got in next to Clyde Bacall.

  “Very smooth, John,” Nick said. “Any trouble?”

  “Not a bit. He recognized my real name so it acted as a point of confusion long enough for me to talk him out of the bar with my help.”

  “Are you still certain Sidi was at the warehouse alone, Clyde?”

  “Paul requisitioned a satellite pass. Nothing in the above house other than his heat signature leaving the place showed. It has a basement though. We’re unsure whether it’s shielded against detection. We can send in a squad to clear the house before you guys take Sidi in if you want.”

  “No, that’s okay. John and I will clear the house with what we have in your trunk. We don’t want anyone else in on this before we find out what’s in the warehouse. We’ll put our surveillance cams on the front entrance so you can watch them wirelessly from the safe-house. I don’t want any indication anyone is around except Sidi in case he gets visitors we don’t know about. Gus will stay in the car with you and Sidi until we give the all clear. Park for a moment while John and I get ready in the first darker unpeopled spot you see.”