The Protectors: Vigilante Justice (Vigilante Cops Book 1)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “Hold them here, El. I’ll go get some plastic ties and feed El Gato Diablo.”

  Fifteen minutes later the three men were seated on Connor’s couch with their hands plastic tied behind their backs. Nasty had finished off an entire can of tuna and was now lying on the carpet in front of the men, cleaning her paws. Connor, Ellie, and Julie sat facing the men on kitchen chairs Connor had brought out.

  “What’s this all about?” Connor asked.

  “We know what happened this morning.”

  “The whole city knows what happened… wait a minute… you know your buddies are dead who survived this morning’s shooting, don’t you?”

  The man who had spoken in the hallway nodded his head. “The assholes we been dealing with killed them and the Detective who was wounded this morning.”

  “We stopped them from killing the Detective. Three of them are in FBI custody. What is it you three want?”

  Connor could tell the information startled the three gangbangers.

  “To stay in this country. We… we know there will be a round up. Anyone not here legally will be hunted here and at the border.”

  “You’re right about that. Two FBI agents were killed defending your friends’ lives. No place is safe for the ones who did it or the ones working with them. You must have something to trade. What is it?”

  “I know who leaked the information.”

  “Are all the men you worked with Iranian?”

  “How… how did you know that?”

  “They spoke Farsi, an Iranian language.” Connor glanced over at Ellie for guidance.

  “We’re out of our league,” Ellie stated. “Let’s stick with tonight. Why the hell are you three in Connor’s apartment? Why not make a deal directly with the FBI?”

  “We’ll be killed in their custody. The people we dealt with have enough money to buy everyone. They gave Araya hundreds of thousands in cash for us to bring stuff into the country by way of Mexico. It was their money Araya bribed your councilman Stennis with.”

  “How did you know Connor wouldn’t call the bad guys to come collect you three?” Ellie asked.

  “You and this man are not on the take.” The man speaking for the three stated and gestured at Connor. “He’s been around a long time. Will you help us?”

  “We know two agents who will take real good care of you guys. The agents who died were friends of theirs,” Connor said. “They need the information you have right away. Can I call them?”

  The three men looked at each other, their expressions varying from fear to apprehension and finally resignation.

  “It is an interpreter working for Homeland Security. Her name is Farrin Agassi. Araya made them set up a meeting with her before he agreed to help them smuggle their shipments.” He pulled a small flash drive out and held it up. “Araya had us record the meeting on video without their knowledge.”

  Ellie was already calling Fulton, the excitement of the man’s revelation making her hand shake. She interrupted Fulton before he could acknowledge the call. “Get over here to Connor’s apartment right away. I can’t tell you anything over the line but you’ll be glad you did. Okay… good. Put on the sirens and don’t leave those other guys with anyone you don’t trust implicitly. I’ll explain when you get here.”

  Ellie held up her phone. “They’ll be over here in less than fifteen minutes. My advice is don’t be coy with these two when they question you. Put your cards on the table face up.”

  “Do you think this will allow us to stay in the country?”

  “I think your chances are good,” Connor answered. “You do realize if these assholes you were working with had set off something like a dirty nuke or nerve gas, you’d all be dead too, don’t you?”

  “They were to warn us.” One of the others spoke up for the first time.

  Ellie laughed. “And you thought they would leave witnesses alive?”

  “Not after today.”

  Connor stood up and went into the kitchen. Nasty looked around leeringly at the others before following him. He took a shot glass out of the cupboard and filled it from the bottle of Jack Daniels he had on the counter. After gulping down the shot without hesitation, Connor refilled the shot glass and took a beer out of the refrigerator. Seeing Nasty looking up at him curiously, Connor filled a small bowl of canned milk for her. He sat down with his drinks at the kitchen table while Nasty lapped up her milk excitedly. In the living room, Ellie could see what Connor was doing from where she stood guarding their prisoners.

  “Go see what’s bugging Opie, Jules.”

  Julie nodded. When she walked into the kitchen, Nasty immediately circled her, hopping in attack mode while hissing angrily. Julie yelped. Connor smiled down at his attack cat.

  “Come over here Nas and leave Julie alone.”

  * * *

  Nasty glanced at Connor doubtfully for a moment before returning to her milk dish. Julie sat down at the kitchen table across from Connor and Nasty, keeping her legs out from under the table in case the crazy cat changed its mind. Julie watched Connor sip from the shot glass and follow it with his beer chaser. He did not look at her.

  Julie recognized from experience when someone really did not want to talk with her. She could tell from Connor’s face this was one of those times. Instead of speaking, Julie filled her own shot glass and drained it. Coughing dryly, she reached into the refrigerator and helped herself to a beer. After drinking directly from the can until the cold beer cooled off her throat, Julie refilled the shot glass and joined Connor at the table. The booze streaked from her throat to the soles of her feet and back up to jolt Julie’s brain. She set the beer can and shot glass down carefully. Using both hands on the kitchen table to steady herself, Julie sat down heavily.

  “It doesn’t look like that was such a good idea, Doc.”

  “It… it feels like a good idea though.”

  “Just sip, okay.”

  Julie saluted. “Yes sir.”

  “Oh boy.”

  “Is something wrong, Connor?” Julie asked before she forgot why she came out into the kitchen in the first place.

  “Nothing serious, Doc. I’m fed up with making deals with bad guys. The three in the living room will probably live real well from now on after bartering away their former employers. The deal will save a lot of lives but I needed something to help wash it down tonight. Did Ellie send you in for therapy?”

  Julie giggled, looking away from Connor. “Yes.”

  * * *

  Connor’s doorbell ringing startled Julie. Connor left the table quickly, his hand on the butt of the .45 auto as he hurried past Ellie. He checked the hallway with a quick glance through the observation eye in his door. Confirming it was Fulton and Guzman, Connor opened the door and stepped aside. Fulton walked over to Ellie right away but Guzman sniffed at Connor, eyeing him with annoyance.

  “Are you drunk, Bradwick?”

  “No, but I’m working on it.”

  Guzman shook her head in disgust. Connor closed the door. Nasty, who had followed Connor to the door hissed at Guzman with open menace. Guzman stepped away, turning and lifting her right foot.

  “I have the cat, ‘Nita,” Connor said, kneeling to pick Nasty up.

  Guzman continued on to where Fulton was listening to the gang member’s story. When the interpreter’s name was mentioned, Fulton and Guzman exchanged disbelieving glances.

  “Jesus… I don’t’ believe it!” Fulton turned away, running both hands over his scalp nervously. “We’ve worked with her before. God only knows what kind of damage she’s done us already.”

  “We have to get them somewhere safe, Drax. Agassi will have to be confronted carefully, without letting anyone else in on this. Let’s get these guys out of here.”

  “Is there any chance you two were followed over here or if your car may be tagged?” Connor asked.

  Fulton began to discount the question but shut up. Guzman looked at Connor questioningly.

  “What are you thinking
, Bradwick… that this is a trap?”

  “Not by these three, but there’s way too much on the line to take things for granted. Let me call Donaldson and have him send over armored transport. If these people would kill hundreds of thousands, they wouldn’t blink at blowing this apartment building up. This Agassi woman may be monitoring everything reported in on your side.”

  “Can you put in the request without details?” Guzman asked.

  “I have Donaldson’s personal cell-phone number. I admit I’m getting paranoid. This shit makes me wonder how much of our communications they’re monitoring.”

  “If we make it through today, you won’t have to wonder about that again,” Fulton said. “This will shake up Homeland Security from top to bottom, not to mention our casual outlook toward the border. Call Donaldson.”

  “Maybe you better do it, El. After my being around Brandy with her connection to Araya, I can’t be sure about my own phones.”

  Ellie nodded and took out her cell-phone. Donaldson answered on the third ring.

  “Ellie? I thought you’d be dead drunk or sleeping like the dead.”

  “No joy there, Boss. We need armed transport at Opie’s, ASAP.”

  “Give me twenty minutes to half an hour,” Donaldson agreed. “I have a BATT vehicle here with me. You will let me know why, ASAP, won’t you?”

  “Will do, Boss.”

  “I don’t want you two cowboys getting killed. Is that understood?”

  “Opie and me will be out of it soon, Sir.”

  “Until then, Calamity.” Donaldson disconnected.

  “He’s sending a BATT,” Ellie told Fulton and Guzman.

  “Good, those transports can take a rocket propelled grenade hit,” Fulton replied.

  “What’s a BATT?” Dr. Morrison asked, walking somewhat unsteadily into the room.

  “Ballistic Armored Tactical Transport, Jules,” Ellie answered. “Have you been nipping, girl?”

  “A little.”

  Ellie chuckled. “A little too much by the way you’re stumbling around.”

  “I have a night vision scope.” Connor headed toward his bedroom. “My bedroom window has a great view of the train station and street too.”

  With the two FBI agents following him, Connor went into his walk-in bedroom closet. Without turning on any lights, he pulled aside a panel covering a large gun-safe. After working the combination, Connor opened the safe. He reached in without opening the door very wide and extracted a wooden case. After closing the safe, Connor opened the wooden case which housed a professional grade night vision monocular. He took it with him to his bedroom window, opened the window and removed the screen. Connor took a quick scan of the train station and street area within view before turning to Fulton and Guzman.

  “All’s quiet but the best approach would be from the tracks. I can keep watch from here. Ellie can stay by my side while in direct contact with you until the men are loaded for transport.”

  “It may be overkill but do you have anything to back us up with in case we get hit on the street level?” Fulton asked, glancing at the view from Connor’s window.

  Connor hesitated.

  “For God’s sake, Bradwick, we’re not going to bust you for illegal weapons in your damn safe!” Guzman stated.

  Nasty snarled from the bed where she had followed the group in, and taken up a curled position on top of the covers. Guzman jumped, unaware the cat had entered the room.

  “Stupid cat!”

  “I have a scoped M14 with silencer,” Connor replied, stroking Nasty before going back to his gun-safe.

  Guzman turned to follow him but Fulton grabbed her arm and shook his head in the negative. Connor returned with a shooter’s vest and the scoped rifle. Fulton looked over the rifle admiringly, noting the extra clips stored in the vest.

  “Full auto?’

  Connor nodded.

  “Good. Are you sober enough to back us up?”

  “Was that rhetorical?”

  Fulton laughed. “We appreciate your help.”

  “Am I weapons free?”

  “I can’t do that, Bradwick. What I can do is if you have to take someone out to save our asses, I’ll lose my badge before I let anything happen to you because of it.”

  “That goes for me too,” Guzman added, watching the darkened track area across the street uneasily. “If you can check with us through James it would be appreciated.”

  “If I have time.” Connor contemplated the possibility of trusting the two agents with his freedom. “I’ll do it. Will you send Ellie in with Dr. Morrison. We’ll set up a conference call between you two, Ellie, Donaldson, and the BATT driver. I’m sure this is strictly a precaution.”

  “Having been around you and James I’m not very optimistic,” Guzman replied as she and Fulton left the bedroom.

  Chapter 20

  Attack from Jack London Station

  Two minutes later, Ellie and Dr. Morrison carried two kitchen chairs into the bedroom. Connor made incremental movements while watching across the street with his night vision scope. When he confirmed there was no movement, Connor turned to Ellie and handed her the scope.

  “Do you need a refresher course on using it?”

  “No, I remember. Are we going to war, Opie?”

  “I’m backing up the X-Files and their witnesses just to be safe. I’m figuring the track area is the place an attack would come from.”

  “Couldn’t they just drive by and open fire without getting out?” Julie sat down on the chair she’d brought in with her and placed by the window.

  “In their position, they need to make sure of their kills. Secondly, they won’t want to be caught out in the open in a vehicle. If they attack from the station, their retreat area is safe. It could come just as you say though, Doc. We’re covering our bets. Ellie will be in communication with everyone, including the driver. Any movement other than what we’re expecting and we’ll be warned.”

  Ellie answered her cell-phone on the first ring, confirming each time a new party checked in on the conference call. She put the call on speaker and tested the volume. When each voice came over her cell-phone speaker loud and clear, Ellie again acknowledged the clarity.

  “We’re at ground level with the package,” Guzman said.

  “This is Jack Duffield, Connor. ETA ten minutes,” the BATT driver stated.

  “Hey, Jack,” Connor said, picturing the tall lanky sergeant. “Who’d you piss off to get this gig?”

  “Same old, same old, Opie.”

  Dr. Morrison uncomfortably watched Ellie scanning in slow twisting movements from one end of the street to the other, concentrating on the train station for most of her visual sweep with Connor’s night vision scope. Julie shifted her chair back at Connor’s silent directive. He used the extra space to begin doing his own visual sweeps with the M14’s own night vision mounted scope while moving the rifle into firing position. For five minutes they scanned silently. Ellie completed her visual search down 2nd Street and began her scan again at the corner of Oak Street and 2nd Street. Julie saw Ellie’s body jolt into attentiveness suddenly.

  “Shift to the corner, Connor! There’s a van stopping there. No front license plate.”

  “I see it. No one’s getting out and the damn windows are tinted too dark to see in. You getting this?”

  “We hear you, Bradwick. Suggestions?” Fulton responded.

  “My opinion – we don’t wait until they attack. Jack, approach the station from Webster.”

  “Acknowledged,” Duffield stated.

  “When the BATT pulls up, I’ll blow the two front tires out on the van.”

  “What?” Guzman nearly shouted. “What if they’re civilians, you-”

  Fulton shushed his partner. “Could you wait until they actually move toward us?”

  “Not with dead bang certainty,” Connor replied as he and Ellie were now giving the van their undivided attention, with Connor only glancing occasionally at the train station.


  “Do it then,” Fulton directed.

  “Acknowledged.”

  Ellie grinned, listening to Guzman arguing in hushed tones with Fulton. “Guess you were right, Opie. They’re not getting out. I can still see the exhaust fumes. I hope they’re watching the street and not your window.”

  “Can you give me a countdown, Jack?”

  “Two minutes away. I’ll pick up the load and do a u-turn the hell away from there if that’s okay with you, Opie. I called in the bogey but we won’t have anyone in the neighborhood for at least another twenty.”

  “If this is a bogey, Agent Fulton, I would suggest going with Jack rather than following in your car. They may have tagged it,” Connor said.

  “Thirty seconds out.”

  Ellie jumped as Connor fired the first muffled round and then a second. Julie clamped her jaw tight to keep from crying out and stood up next to Ellie.

  “Both tires down,” Ellie confirmed as the BATT squealed to a stop in front of Connor’s apartment.

  “Loading right now,” Fulton said.

  “Holy shit, Connor, what the hell’s that?” Ellie saw a dark figure throw open the disabled van’s sliding door and knelt down with a bulky object braced on his shoulder.

  Connor fired again. The man’s head seemed to Ellie as if it burst apart in a red shower, body and weapon falling in a heap.

  “This is not a drill! One man with rocket launcher down!” Connor called out.

  “Weapons free!” Fulton shouted back as the BATT vehicle u-turned clumsily over the curbs.

  Connor fired short bursts through the windshield of the van. His second burst sprayed across the side door opening. He then quickly changed clips. A rattling burst of fire Connor immediately recognized as the sound of an AK47 hit the bottom of his window frame, stitching upwards. Connor felt a tug at his shoulder before pulling Ellie and Julie to the floor. The moment the chattering fire stopped, Connor popped up with his M14 pointed at the train station. Two figures were running toward the apartment building while changing weapon clips. Connor’s next burst hit them from only fifty yards, the .308 caliber hollow points strafing across both men.

  Ellie joined him with Donaldson’s Glock at the ready over the window frame a split second later, her breath coming in ragged sucking intakes of air.