Encountering Evil: Dark Horse Guardians Book Two

by Armstrong, Ava

  Lara smiled as she took the business card. She knew this was Ben's ploy to distract her from worrying. But she went along with it to please him. She knew she wouldn't sleep a wink while he was gone. Connecticut…of all places…what the hell was brewing there? She would not stop thinking about Ben while he was gone, even though she would try to go on with her life as normal. Her not worrying? That would be a charade. Truth was, she couldn't stop worrying about him when he left for a mission. If anything ever happened to him she would crumble. She never felt this way about any man. Ben was different. She needed him. And, for the first time in her life she felt loved.

  ~ Ben ~

  On his December trip overseas, Ben received actionable intelligence on jihad recruiters setting up shop in New Britain Connecticut. And, through careful surveillance, hacking with listening devices, and installing spy-ware on a few computers, Ben found out it was much worse than originally thought. The jihad group had obtained sixty kilograms of radioactive material and planned to detonate a dirty nuclear bomb in a large shopping mall nearby. The discovery was made by Tom Wilson in East Hartford and Elvis Shaw in New Britain. Both men were former SEALs in Ben's platoon and were now Dark Horse Guardian operatives. The evil radical Islamists they were watching were not Middle Eastern in appearance. In fact, they were Americans, and were recruiting other Americans to join their sick twisted movement to kill innocent people. Many of the recruits were disenchanted felons recently out of prison, easy marks for the jihad recruiters. But it didn't matter to Ben or his team if these people were male, female, or what race or ethnicity they were. As far as he was concerned, if they were participating in evil, the consequences would be gruesome for them. He would personally guaranteed that.

  Ben had already made the trip to Langley, presented the evidence, and received the green light from Kip Larson. That's all he needed. He remembered Larson's wry little smile, "You're the chief, make it happen. Let me know when it's over." It was that simple. Larson didn't want to know details. No one could know, not even local law enforcement officials. Ben and his team had to operate in complete blackness. Ben's team would take out the jihad recruiters, the sleeper cell, and make it look like someone else did it. Not to mention the movement of a thermonuclear device from Point A to Point B. They had their work cut out for them.

  The meeting with Tom and Elvis would take place at the Sandman Motel in a small suburb of New Britain that night at 9:00 PM. Ben had the mission plan drawn up, but needed the input of the other men. A week ago, Ben contacted Jake in Manchester New Hampshire and Gus in Newport Rhode Island asking them to arrive for the meeting, too.

  Ben methodically packed his gear and left after a tearful goodbye. Parting with Lara was never easy, especially when she knew he would be gone for a week or more. He was beginning to realize it was harder for him to say goodbye even though Lara was the one with tears in her eyes. His heart broke every time he drove away from her knowing he would not have her to hold at night. He now focused all of his energy and attention on the mission while driving. The thought of pulling off the mission flawlessly got his adrenaline flowing and this was his stimulant. On the road he plotted and planned thinking through every detail. There were seven targets that had been under surveillance for weeks. Their movements were predictable. But, the neighborhood surrounding the mosque was filled with innocent people. And, there was always the possibility someone would step in at an inopportune moment and screw up his plan.

  At the Sandman Motel, an older low-rise two-story, Ben checked in at 9:00 PM. The others all got separate rooms at the Twilight Motel and the Carlton a couple of miles away. The men staggered their check-in times, but met later in Tom's room at the Twilight. "Here are the details." Elvis slapped the photos and movements of the targets down on the cheap coffee table. The men huddled. Elvis offered, "What about taking them out one-by-one?" Ben responded, "No, it might get the local law involved. If we engage the local police, we need to be long gone before they even get a whiff of this…" Elvis was somber but offered another idea, "A coordinated strike." Tom agreed. Jake said, "Wouldn't it be perfect if we could get them all in the same place at the same time? You know, like the Worcester gig?" Elvis ran his hand over his long dark hair, "What in their daily schedule brings them all together?"

  Ben looked at the information on the table, "They all go to the mosque at daybreak for morning prayers, right?" Elvis smiled, "Bingo! These guys meet early in the parking lot…and have their own little cabal going on as they walk toward the mosque." Ben looked at the men surrounding him, "We need to take out the security cameras around that mosque and coordinate a strike that is flawless. There are seven of them, five of us. We need another man. Let's get Nate O'Neal, he's in Springfield. That should be enough."

  They slept for six hours and were disguised as they slipped into New Britain. Dressed as drug dealers, complete with fake tattoos and gold chains, the men loitered with a swagger around the proximity of the mosque but not too close. They didn't want to piss off the real drug dealers who had already claimed that turf. Ben wanted to get an idea of where the security cameras were. Elvis already had them mapped out, but Ben wanted to give it one more look to make sure he could hack them. They made a trip around the parking lot and found good cover. Then the group returned to their respective motels for another night of tactical planning and sleep. What worried Ben the most was the fact that a thermonuclear device sat in the basement of the mosque locked in a safe. His mind raced as he tried to think of a way to get it out of there while eliminating the targets. His greatest concern was meeting up with someone or something that was not in the plan. There were always variables in every mission and he tried to think through each possibility, but they were endless.

  ~ Lara ~

  Lara was filled with eagerness as she pulled her red Fiat into the driveway of the bungalow Ben had secured for her business. As she got out of her car she stood on the front lawn of the property with wide eyes. She felt like a child at Christmas. Claire, the realtor, was due to meet her at Noon. Lara stepped onto the front porch of the 1918 building admiring the lovely carved details of the trim. It had some of the gingerbread style similar to the Victorian and it was perfectly painted so that it appeared to be a snapshot from another era. She noticed the building retained its original doors and windows and was pleased. Claire rolled up in her Mercedes and joined Lara. "Sorry I'm late…the traffic is worse now with all the tourists…"

  As Claire unlocked the door Lara stepped into a formal entryway and faced her image in a lovely Victorian mirror surrounded by coat hooks and a bench. The house was filled with historical charm with all original floors, moldings, baseboards and wainscoting. The bathrooms needed work, but that would be a small project. The parlor was in the center of the building and would serve as a meeting room. It retained the original fireplace with a mantle that was hand-carved and had a unique tile inlay, "Oh my goodness – Claire – the fireplace has Batchelder tiles!" Claire did not notice the prized architectural feature, but Lara was elated. As she eyed the original stained glass windows, still intact, she realized Ben was right. He knew her taste. She fell in love within minutes. Even the tall cast iron radiators painted white added to the charm of the décor. The kitchen was a wonderful bonus. She could have lunch there every day instead of eating on the go. And, she could even serve catered lunches for special clients.

  "I love it," Lara gushed to Claire. "Well, it's yours." Claire smiled. "Ben said if you loved it, he's already signed a purchase agreement and paid me in cash." Tears welled up in Lara's eyes as she realized the depth of Ben's generosity. He wanted her to be successful and this was his contribution. She sent him a text, "Thank you, the bungalow is perfect!" but got no response. She knew while he was on the mission he would not communicate with her. Lara hugged Claire and thanked her. Claire said excitedly, "Now you've got to see the farm…" Lara tilted her head, "Now?" Claire frowned, "Oh, I hope I didn't spoil some sort of surprise, never mind." Claire laughed. "I'm just thrilled that
you love this place."

  Eliot Stone called Lara as soon as she left the bungalow. "I know you're coming over to check my renovation, but you might want to take the rest of the afternoon off to go sailing with me…and have dinner at the club afterwards. For all of your hard work, I feel I owe you at least that." Lara was tired and the sunny June afternoon was calling to her. "That sounds great. I've always wanted to go sailing on your boat. I was hoping Ben could go, too, but he is out of town for the week. Let me take Einstein out beforehand, then I'll meet you at the yacht club." She sped home and took her beloved Einstein for a walk around the neighborhood. Lara wondered, what does one wear sailing? She stuffed a sweatshirt and shorts into her leather backpack and grabbed her sunglasses.

  ~ Lara ~

  The Falmouth Yacht Club was bustling with activity on the warm summer day and Lara squinted as her eyes scanned the dock. She knew Eliot was waiting for her on his boat. "Lara, come on down…" Eliot was waving to her from the end of a long dock. His 40-foot Hinckley sailboat was at the very end of the wharf and she gasped a little at the splendid beauty of the vessel. With the name "Resolute" stenciled in gold letters upon the stern the sailboat seemed to loom larger as she approached. The gold lettering stood out against the gleaming Navy blue hull.

  All eyes were on Lara as she walked briskly down the stairs and strode along the lengthy dock toward Eliot. She was oblivious to the other boaters and yacht club employees as they paused for a moment to watch her gracefully descend the stairway toward the sailboat. She sauntered up to the Hinckley and said, "Hello captain!" Eliot took her leather backpack and then her hand as she gingerly stepped down a built-in staircase into the cockpit of the vessel. Eliot seemed excited and happy to have her aboard and asked if she'd like a brief tour. He slipped the safety harness over her head and made adjustments as he clicked it securely on her. The device would inflate if she went overboard. "Just a precaution…" he smiled into her green eyes. Standing so close to him she smelled the Ralph Lauren cologne he wore. His animated brown eyes met hers and she smiled.

  He brought her into the intimate salon of the boat. As she took a few steps down she noted it was cool and dark inside. The interior was completely constructed of elegant mahogany highly polished so you could see yourself in it. "Nice bright work," Lara smiled. "You know the terms. That's good." Eliot showed her the galley, the head, the master stateroom. "Just showing you where everything is so you'll know your way around." Then, he proudly revealed the large diesel engine in its own steel-plated compartment. The engine had been running and it made a gentle rattling sound that had a comforting steady rhythm. "Are you ready to go for a sail? There's a good breeze today."

  Outside in the cockpit, Eliot looked younger in the sunlight. He wore a polo shirt and a pullover sweater and loose fitting chinos with boat shoes. His brown unruly hair had been recently cut and his face had color. He led her to the wheel and untied the boat. A young man at the dock expertly shoved the vessel off as the diesel chugged slowly toward the bay. Eliot's brown eyes lingered on her. "When we get out into the bay we will turn off the engine and put up the sails…you can help me."

  Lara had never been on a boat of this size. She had only been in an aluminum skiff on Panther Pond with Rusty. The 40-foot sailboat felt like a floating house. The ocean breeze was soft but steady and Lara slipped her sweatshirt on. It was cooler on the water. She put her sunglasses on top of her head. Eliot was busy steering the boat and watching the depth finder on his impressive display of electronics. "Come, take the helm, Lara!" he gestured to her to stand in front of him. Lara steered the sailboat and Eliot stood behind her, not too close, but she felt his hand upon her shoulder. "You're at the helm, now, Lara!" She smiled into his dark brown eyes just before he put his sunglasses back on and sensed the joy he was feeling sharing her first sailing experience.

  "You're doing great!" Eliot cheered her on. About thirty minutes later they were in the middle of the bay and just before he shut the motor off, he asked Lara to aim the boat directly into the wind. She did, and watched as Eliot expertly jumped up on the bulkhead and instructed Lara to push a button that would unfurl the main sail. Then she did the same with the jib. Eliot made a few adjustments and, like a flash, he was back behind her shutting off the motor. Suddenly there was complete silence…interrupted only by the sound of the wind lightly flapping in the sails and the halyard tapping on the mast sounding like a wind chime.

  At the precise moment the sails filled, Lara felt the boat lurch slightly and the steering wheel felt different. Eliot guided her to veer to a 40-degree angle toward the wind to catch the breeze in the sails. Lara watched with rapt attention as the perfectly white sails billowed out with the steady current of air gently filling them. Eliot showed her the wind indicator atop the mast. Lara was enthralled with the breathtaking silence. The only perceptible sounds were the wind moving lightly over the sails and the water lapping the hull of the boat as it cut through the water with amazing speed. Eliot was now behind her, closer now, guiding her every step of the way. Her hair was flying in his face but it made him laugh. Lara had never sailed a boat, let alone a 40-foot Hinckley, and it was breathtaking. "Oh gosh, Eliot, this is amazing!" she said with unbridled enthusiasm.

  ~ Eliot Stone ~

  Eliot remembered that Lara had mentioned her husband would be out of town for a week when he called her. There would be no better time to get her on his boat than the present. He was surprised she jumped at the chance. He was prepared to spend more time trying to convince her. But she had always demonstrated an interest in learning about the boat and he was glad to be her teacher. She was married, yes, but he could still enjoy her company. There wasn't a law against being in the company of a woman you were crazy about, even if she was married. Eliot felt Lara's long dark silky hair against his face and once or twice he touched her hair with his hand, slightly pushing it aside.

  He couldn't believe she was there with him actually steering his sailboat. He had dreams with scenes like this often. He imagined putting his hands around her lovely figure and nestling his face into the tender nape of her neck. But he knew physical contact would put her off. He settled for being close to her. Just being in her presence was enough for now. Although his well-meaning friends constantly fixed him up with blind dates, he never wanted a woman so much in his life as he wanted Lara; he doubted anyone else could understand the love he felt for her. He couldn't think of dating anyone else. He knew Lara was unaware of the primitive feelings he nurtured for her.

  "There's my place…" Eliot pointed out his estate. Lara gasped, "Oh, Eliot – you never showed me your botanical garden! Who planted all of that?" She removed her sunglasses to get a better look. He gave her the information, “Secret Gardens, owned by Grant Hawkins. He’s the guy I told you about. I wish you’d walk through it with me; you're always rushing off, Lara. I never get a chance to spend time with you." He hoped she would linger at his estate next time and enjoy a walk in his garden. "Look, Lara. Two houses from mine…there's a saltwater farm for sale. It's a beauty. It's the old Clearwater place." Lara asked Eliot to hand her the binoculars and she peered through them turning the knob until the lens produced a perfectly focused view. "Oh my God Eliot! Clearwater Farm is beautiful! Is there a chance I could get a tour of it?" Eliot smiled, "When do you want to see it? I know the owner. He's a member here at the yacht club. He may even be in the dining room tonight. I'll see what I can do." Eliot put the auto-pilot on and ducked down to use the head. He tapped the speed dial on his phone for Sterling Brown. "Hey, Sterling, are you going to be at the club tonight for dinner?"

  When Eliot came back to the helm, he turned the auto-pilot off and stood behind Lara, closer now, and lightly brushed her hair away and spoke into her ear. "You can see the place tonight after dinner if you'd like.” Lara turned to him, astonished, "Really?" She was so close now all he could think of was planting a kiss on those lovely pink lips, but he didn't. Instead Eliot smiled, "Or, we can stop over before dinner so you can s
ee the place in the daylight." Lara's green eyes lit up, "That would be perfect!" Eliot was more than happy that he could arrange the private viewing for her. When she turned and smiled like that and looked into his eyes, his heart nearly stopped beating. He had all he could do to restrain himself. He inhaled deeply as the wind blew her hair against his face and he fought the urge to embrace her. She expertly sailed the boat toward the mooring and Eliot rolled the main sail into the mast and furled the jib tightly.

  His body leaned against Lara as he moved to reach the engine key and he enjoyed the gentle contact. The diesel chugged toward the mooring and he shifted the engine into neutral. With the grace of an athlete, Eliot picked up the rope from the mooring ball with a long-handled hook and secured the boat to the mooring. He called the launch on the radio. Eliot turned his attention to Lara, "You, my friend, are quite a sailor – we must do this again." Lara was animated and incredibly beautiful as he gazed at her standing in the cockpit of his boat -- a picture he wanted to remember. She smiled and hugged him, "Thank you, Eliot, for a wonderful adventure!" He embraced her, thoroughly enjoying the one minute of exquisite pleasure. The embrace was interrupted by the sound of the yacht club launch. Eliot helped her climb down the stainless steel ladder from the stern. He held her hand as the launch shuttled them back to the dock and she turned and smiled at him.

  Eliot could tell that Lara was exhilarated with the sailing trip. Her hair was now free and blowing around her face as the launch pulled alongside the dock. The handsome bronzed young man running the launch helped Lara out of the small boat onto the dock. The expression on his face said it all; he looked like he had just touched a movie star. At the dock, Eliot practically had to run up the stairs behind her. Her long legs looked lovely in those shorts. "Slow down Lara!" Eliot laughed. She hopped into her Fiat as Eliot scrambled into the passenger seat and they drove to Clearwater Farm. "Sterling knows you're coming.” Eliot chuckled, caught up in the moment of Lara's excitement. "I can't wait to see it, Eliot!" He howled, "Slow down, the turn is right here." Lara pulled the Fiat off the road onto what looked like a separate street, but it was the driveway to Clearwater Farm.