The Protectors: Vigilante Justice (Vigilante Cops Book 1)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “What the hell’s happening?” Fulton’s voice barked at them.

  “We took heavy fire from the train station.” Connor gestured for Ellie to stay focused on the train station while he returned his attention to the van. “Two down in the street. Unknown casualties in the van. Request all available personnel and medical teams.”

  “Acknowledged,” Fulton said. “We are clear of the area. After we get you help we will be going dark.”

  “Acknowledged,” Connor replied. He saw the van driver writhing weakly on the front seat. “How’s it look, El?”

  “The two in the street are not moving. I don’t see anyone else.” Ellie fought valiantly to get her breathing under control while trying to keep the tremor out of her voice. She reached down without looking away from the street, trying to feel for the night vision scope she’d dropped. Julie, perceiving what Ellie was groping for, placed the monocular in her hands. “Thanks Jules. You okay?”

  “I… I think I had a little accident.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Jules. The OPD telltales, Arvizo and Ladd, won’t be coming tonight. Hey, Opie, do you… shit, you’re bleeding all over!”

  “Stay where you are, El!” Connor ordered. “Doc, can you go wet a towel with some peroxide from the medicine cabinet and come press it on my right shoulder?”

  “Sure, Connor.” Dr. Morrison hurried away, returning a minute later with the towel as directed. She clamped the towel tightly on the shoulder wound as the peroxide bubbled audibly. “It’s a graze, Ellie.”

  “I heard it all, kids,” Donaldson’s voice informed them over the cell-phone speaker. “The moment Fulton and Guzman were clear of the area they called in a tactical team from San Francisco. We have everything available on the way over now. Can you give me a sit-rep?”

  “I looked away from the van for a few minutes while we handled the threat from across the street.” Connor kept his rifle trained on the van. “We are still unsure of the train station area.”

  “Helicopters are in route. If there were any escapees, we’ll hunt them down. I’ll have your block lit up like daylight.”

  “One of the assholes had a frackin’ rocket launcher,” Connor replied. “I’m hoping that was the only one.”

  “Acknowledged.”

  Sirens seemingly coming from all directions wailed in the distance. Ellie kept the Glock aimed in the direction of the train station while scanning with the scope in her other hand. Julie kept the compress on Connor’s arm while he retained visual surveillance on the van. Suddenly, Nasty growled and streaked for the front door.

  “Shit, El, we got company! Stay here!” Connor turned away from the street and ran to a position he could cover his front entrance from. Nasty pranced in front of the door threateningly.

  “Hello? Is everything okay?” A man’s voice asked at the door.

  Connor didn’t fraternize with his neighbors but he knew all of them. The slightly accented voice did not belong to any of them. “We’re fine, thank you.”

  “May I come in?”

  “Come by tomorrow morning and we’ll talk.” Connor’s forefinger pad lightly caressed the trigger of his M14.

  The door exploded inward narrowly missing Nasty as she retreated toward Connor. AK47 bullets sprayed his room. Connor fired controlled bursts into the figure who lurched through his doorway in a crouched posture. Diving onto the downed man’s body, Connor aimed the M14 at the hallway and the retreating figure running away. The next M14 burst tore the running man’s legs out from under him, his screams piercing the silent aftermath of gunfire.

  “Two down, El! One still alive! I have the hallway!”

  “On it!” Ellie replied, relaying the information to Donaldson.

  Connor stayed where he was, feeling for a pulse on the body under him but finding none. The man in the hallway passed out as the sound of oncoming sirens intensified. Nasty climbed up onto Connor’s back and curled contentedly, purring loudly. Connor heard Julie giggle a little shakily from the bedroom door.

  “I wish you could see this, Ellie,” Julie said, relieved the man in the hallway was no longer screaming. “Nasty’s curled up on Connor’s back as he’s lying on a dead man.”

  “You have a phone, Jules. Take pictures! We’ll paste them up all over the precinct,” Ellie directed, glad for any diversion. She shifted slightly again, making as small a target of herself as possible while keeping watch on the street below.

  “I heard that!” Connor objected as Julie hurriedly followed orders.

  “On it,” Julie acknowledged, clicking away with her cell-phone’s camera.

  “We’re on our way up, Ellie, clearing the building as we come,” Donaldson announced suddenly on Ellie’s cell-phone speaker. “Tell Connor not to shoot us.”

  “Acknowledged. Opie, the boss says they’re on the way up. Don’t shoot.”

  “I’ll try to resist,” Connor muttered. He remembered Nasty, imagining the entertainment their backup would have if they saw him prone on a dead man’s body with Nasty purring away on top of him. Connor rolled to his left slowly and Nasty jumped off reluctantly. He crouched near the doorframe and petted Nasty as he waited for backup to arrive.”

  “I guess the sleepover will have to be at my place,” Julie said.

  “I could lock Nas up in my spare bedroom but I hate leaving her here with all the commotion which will be going on at my place for the next few days,” Connor replied, seeing a couple of his neighbors’ doors opening. “Don’t come out of your apartments, folks! Stay inside for your own protection!”

  The doors slammed shut again. Julie did not say anymore. Connor grinned, figuring she wasn’t taking the hint about Nasty coming along.

  “I can stay here. You and Ellie can bunk in over at your place.”

  “No way, Opie!” Ellie called out from the bedroom. “You’re going with us!”

  “Fine, bring Nasty along,” Julie said finally. “My place has three bedrooms. I guess she’ll be okay with you around. My apartment is probably the least likely to be on the Terrorists’ list.”

  “It’s a good idea in one way. We’ll be able to keep Ellie away from the ‘Chicken and Biscuits’ tomorrow morning.”

  “Frack you, Opie!”

  Armored men came through the stairwell door and stayed where they were.

  “Connor!”

  “All clear, Sarg.”

  “Is this guy in the hallway dead?”

  “Not unless he bled to death. I took out his legs.”

  “Any of you injured?” Donaldson asked as he felt the man’s pulse after confiscating the downed man’s weapons.

  “I got a shoulder scratch but we’re good otherwise.”

  Donaldson looked over Connor’s bloody shirt and shooter’s vest as he walked into the apartment while the three men with him took up positions in the hall.

  “It’s the dead guy’s blood at your feet,” Connor answered the unspoken question, gesturing at his clothing.

  “We sure fell into the wood chipper today, Opie.”

  “Yeah we did,” Connor agreed, shouldering his M14 and picking up Nasty.

  “You must be getting nostalgic for Iraq by now.”

  “Not quite yet, but working on it.” Connor stroked his contented cat. “This is a big one, Sarg. We’ll have so many Feds here by tomorrow, it’ll be like Washington, D.C. Me and Ellie are thinking we should get a few days off.”

  “I’ll bet you do. What kind of plans do you have for tonight? I can put you in lockdown at the station.”

  “Dr. Morrison offered to put us up at her place for the night. I don’t suppose there’s any chance of being left off the news, is there?”

  “What, you think the ACLU will arrive to christen you The Butcher of Oakland?”

  Connor smiled. “Something like that.”

  “I can’t help much on that front, Opie. It will be what it will be. What about your minion here?” Donaldson gestured at Julie.

  “Minion?”

  “He
’s joking, Jules.” Ellie walked up beside Julie. “They’re cleaning up the streets so I figured I could get off street watch. I need a drink.”

  “It smells like Opie got out in front of you on that one, El,” Donaldson remarked.

  “Silly me. I thought we were just turning witnesses over to the FBI. I admit to being under the influence when the shooting started.”

  “I better be the only one you admit it too. There are press vans out there and guess who won’t be talking to them?”

  Connor, Ellie, and Julie all tentatively raised their hands.

  “Correcto,” Donaldson affirmed. “You go get a shower and change of clothes, Connor. I don’t want you going out of this building looking like Jack the Ripper. Are you sure you want to stick around with these two, Dr. Morrison?”

  “I’m afraid not to.”

  “Very well. When Opie gets changed the three of you can leave. I’ll call you if I need you. A couple of my men will walk interference for you to your car. Brush your teeth too, Officer Bradwick. You’ve got killer breath.”

  “Yours isn’t reminding me of lilacs in the Spring either, Sarg,” Connor replied defensively. “I’ll be back after I make sure I won’t offend anyone else’s sensibilities.”

  Connor put Nasty on his bed and made a stop at his gun safe where he put away the M14 and bloody vest. He’d deal with demands for it later. Connor kept his .45 with him on the way to the bathroom.

  * * *

  “How many are down on the street, Boss?”

  “The van driver won’t live. Rocket launcher guy’s in hell. Two in the van’s cargo area might make it. One in the street is dead. The other has a chance. Counting dead man here at our feet, we have seven dead bad guys tallied by Connor in a twenty-four hour period. This won’t go away, Ellie. I saw the M14 Connor shouldered. I’m going to get together with Fulton and see if we can figure a way to suppress his choice of weapons tonight, but no matter how we dress this up we’ll have a hell of a time dealing with the press.”

  “I expect you’ve also tallied how many of us would be dead if not for Connor, right Boss? I’m figuring it to be in the double digits and counting.”

  “Is…is this worry real, Sergeant?” Julie asked. “There are witnesses. This is a Terrorist Cell that attacked American citizens.”

  “In this day and age we can’t take anything for granted. Something else besides Connor’s well being has to be remembered – the two guys in the street, and two in here, were attacking Connor’s apartment building after they knew the FBI had left with the witnesses. Who the hell were they after if not you and Connor, El?”

  “Shit! I didn’t even consider that. I don’t think Connor did either.”

  “My point being we’re in the big time now and we can use safety concerns to keep details away from the press. Even Guzman wouldn’t object to keeping most of this hushed up until we have no other choice. I wouldn’t think Homeland Security wants to advertise losing agents and witnesses.”

  “Which brings us back to your point about whether these guys were actually coming to kill us or not.”

  “This man here broke down the door and shot into the room without looking,” Julie replied. “I’d say he wanted to kill everyone in here.”

  “Yeah, damn it! I’m glad we have a couple alive to ask. If they’re after me and Connor, where do we hide?”

  “Don’t show your faces outside Dr. Morrison’s place until I update you on how we’re doing,” Donaldson directed. “Can you give me a tour of how and when while Connor’s getting cleaned up, El.”

  Ellie took Donaldson through the events of the evening with the police sergeant recording it. Donaldson followed Ellie through the apartment and took pictures of where bullets from the attackers hit. He concentrated a good deal on the smashed in door. Connor joined them near the end, looking clearer eyed and less fatigued. The medical team had already removed the wounded man from the hall.

  “If you have an extra vest I’d like the Doc to get one on, Sarg.”

  “I’ll send a guy down for one.”

  “I have Nasty in her travel cage already. I’ll get her extra cat-box and litter bag so we’ll be ready to go.”

  “Litterbox?” Julie repeated morosely.

  “I can get a room at some motel, Doc.”

  “No… it’ll be fine… really. I’ve never had an animal before.”

  “I’m leaving dead guy until the FBI forensics team finishes at the hospital and processes your place, Connor. It’s nearly three in the morning. Gather up your cat and we’ll escort you three to Dr. Morrison’s car. We have the whole block cordoned off so once in the car I’ll have someone get you clear of the area. Connor, you get that shoulder looked at.”

  “It just clipped the top of my shoulder. I bandaged it.”

  “If you want to get out of this party, Opie, an EMT will be looking at your shoulder.”

  “Frack! I’ll get stitches and an infection, sure as hell!

  Donaldson laughed. “Get ‘er done!”

  * * *

  “It looks like you use this place as a front for Good Housekeeping Magazine,” Ellie announced with a laugh after Julie led them into her townhouse. “Tell the truth, Jules. I bet you have a little cubby hole with your bed and a chair. All you ever do is clean the rest of it, right?”

  “I’m a little overly neat.” Julie’s defensive tone had become a staple when conversing with Ellie.

  “It looks wonderful, Doc. Don’t listen to Ellie the hypocrite. She makes me take off my shoes before I step foot in the house and God forbid I use her bathroom. Ellie asked me to have a sleep over after the kidnap case and-”

  “Shut up, Opie! This is a big place for just you, Jules. How come you didn’t get a one or two roomer?”

  “I like having the extra room. It really doesn’t take me long to clean up in here because I only have to vacuum and dust mostly. Follow me upstairs and I’ll show you to your rooms.”

  “Your guest rooms are actually furnished, Jules?”

  “Yes… but this is the first time I’ve ever had anyone stay overnight. You’ve seen how my sister and I get along. My Dad and Mom stop by occasionally but they don’t stay overnight.”

  “If you had a seventy-two inch plasma TV, Opie would move in with you for good.”

  “Very funny, El.”

  “Inside joke?”

  “Sort of, Jules,” Ellie answered. She followed Dr. Morrison up the stairs with Connor and Nasty behind them. “I broke up with my boyfriend and Connor immediately started hanging out with him behind my back.”

  Julie laughed. “Enticed by a seventy-two inch plasma TV?”

  “Exactly.”

  “We could talk over the actual reasons for your break up with Rick, El. I’m sure the Doc would be able to help you through the pain of loss and betrayal.”

  “Shut up, Opie!”

  “My room’s here,” Julie pointed to the master bedroom at the top of the stairs. “The two rooms facing each other down the hall are nearly identical so take either one you want. The bathroom is at the end of the hall. My room has its own bathroom and there’s another full bathroom downstairs.”

  “Wow, three bathrooms. I like it, Jules. I’ll move in right now and I don’t require the seventy-two inch plasma.”

  “I’m glad you like it, Ellie. I have extra toiletries in the guest bathroom and an extra robe hanging in there if you don’t feel like putting on your clothes. Drop off your stuff, shower, and get Nasty settled. We can have a drink together if you both still feel like it.” Julie blushed. “I…I need to go clean up and change while you’re getting settled in. It won’t take me but a few minutes.”

  “Hey, don’t be embarrassed,” Ellie ordered, remembering what Julie was referring too. “We’re family now. My blood’s been pumping so hard I’m afraid of what’ll happen if I don’t have a drink. How about you, Opie?”

  “I could do with a nightcap or three. It won’t be good to overdo it though because who knows what the
y’ll come up with for us later today. If Ben or the FBI can’t keep a lid on what happened yesterday, the media will have hunting parties after us.”

  Julie sighed. “I was feeling pretty good after those drinks in Connor’s kitchen. When the gunfight started again it was like I never took a sip. I’ll correct that right after I clean up. I’ll make us some popcorn to munch on too.”

  “It’s not that low fat tasteless crap is it, Jules?”

  “Nope. Movie style, extra butter’s the only kind I eat,” Julie answered on her way into the master bedroom. “I’ll see you downstairs.”

  “Booze, popcorn… now if you only had a TV.” Ellie walked into the room on the left. “I’m left, Opie. You and Gato El Diablo take the right.”

  “She can hear you, El,” Connor complained as Nasty growled.

  “Make her comfy in there because I don’t want to lay eyes on that cat before tonight.”

  “I guess saving our lives wasn’t enough, you ungrateful-”

  Ellie shut her door on Connor.

  “Don’t mind her, Nasty. She hasn’t been laid in months.”

  “Frack you, Opie!”

  Connor chuckled and took Nasty into the other room.

  Chapter 21

  Interpersonal Relations

  Downstairs, Connor waited at Julie’s oak bar with matching stools for his two friends. Ellie joined him first wearing the heavy blue terrycloth robe from the guest bathroom. She was still drying her hair off.

  “Good Lord, do I feel better. I’m sure Jules has a washer and dryer in the palace here so I can wash my stuff.” Ellie glanced up at the clock on the wall to her right and plopped down dejectedly on the bar stool next to Connor. “Damn, it’s almost four in the morning.”

  “Don’t think about it, El. Fulton and Guzman can’t be much fresher than we are.”

  “Oh yeah? How many gun battles were the MIB’s in yesterday and this morning?”

  “You’re right, El. We need a month off starting right now.”

  Ellie put her head in her arms on the bar top. “May as well throw in world peace while you’re at it, Opie. How come I don’t have a drink in my hand?”