Encountering Evil: Dark Horse Guardians Book Two

by Armstrong, Ava

  ~ Lara ~

  As Lara nestled against Ben’s chest on the sofa to watch television, she felt Ben laughing uncontrollably a few times and figured he had received a funny e-mail or something. She noticed he suppressed laughter the last time he looked at his phone. She couldn’t take the curiosity any longer and asked, "What is making you laugh so much? You are trying not to laugh, I can tell. Is it something I said or did? No, it's something on your phone…" She was smiling at Ben as he grinned back at her, almost unable to form words. Finally, he said something barely comprehensible to her, "Bettencourt just kissed Monique, I’m watching him on the security camera, and I don't want to watch him, if you know what I mean. I had to shut the video off." Lara was shocked. "What? Monique? Let me see that." Ben held the phone away from her. "No, I don't think you want to see this, nor do I. Let’s just say I hope Bettencourt has a different kind of protection on him tonight!" Lara giggled, “I’m so glad it is Monique." Ben smiled with dimples and a devilish look in his eyes, "Congratulations. You succeeded once again as a match-maker with Bettencourt and Monique!” A feeling of contentment flooded Lara as she realized her gentle prodding put the two reluctant lovers together.

  Ben leaned in and kissed her while turning off the television. His phone was stashed away and his pale blue eyes searched her face for a moment. Playfully Ben asked, "Why aren't we having fun like that? Bettencourt and Monique shouldn’t be the ones having all the fun, right?" Lara felt him reach behind the sofa as he tapped his iPod. "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right" by Billy Currington came up on the playlist. Once the song started, Ben was kissing Lara, softly at first while he removed her clothing. More than once Ben had whispered the words to this song in her ear while dancing. Mood music…Lara smiled. Ben enjoyed making love to her with music… especially this song. It was as if the lyrics and the music were a means of expression for him. His diversion worked well to distract her from Bettencourt's business. His attention was completely on Lara as he gingerly moved his broad hands over her body removing one piece of clothing at a time. His eyes gazed into hers with an intensity that stirred her. She felt his warm mouth on her neck. He had become an expert at slipping out of his own clothing while he kissed her. He stripped with such efficiency, she wondered if he was a magician.

  Lara knew Ben would drive her wild with passion just touching his lips to hers. He wasn't forceful. In fact, he was light and playful. He always started with tender kisses that coaxed her gently. It seemed he could read her mind and little by little he allowed the passion to build. With Ben she learned how to relax with lovemaking. The awkwardness and fear melted away. Lately, his hands explored her body in ways she had never known and it felt wonderful. She leaned back on the sofa as Ben kissed her neck and her breasts ever so softly with skilled lips. His blue eyes watching her face, he paused, "Do you like?" Lara smiled holding his face in her hands, "Oh, I love…" she said in a breathy whisper as she closed her eyes. Slowly and deliberately Lara enjoyed the long time Ben spent teasing her to a level of pleasure that made her feel a little bit reckless. The beard he was growing for his mission tickled her. As he built the excitement within her, she noticed he seemed to enjoy watching her experience pleasure.

  As he lovingly caressed her body, Lara wondered how much medical training Ben had in his background. She noticed he was intimately familiar with not only the anatomy but the physiology of a woman's body. He definitely had skills. Then a novel thought occurred to her; she realized it might be her that was teaching him. When she first met Ben he was like a sex-starved lunatic. Although he was always gentle and kind, there were times when it seemed he had been in a desert without any water for years and she was his first drink. His passion was akin to a thirst that could not be quenched. It was Lara who slowed him down, thus love-making had become more enjoyable for both of them. As she lost control she came to the conclusion: they were teaching one other.

  ~ Ben ~

  In preparation for living in the Islam-berg community, Ben hadn't shaved for weeks and his beard was thick and black. Sometimes he thought Lara enjoyed the beard more than she let on. When he kissed her neck, she wiggled away saying it tickled her but she always came back for more. He studied his reflection in the mirror. He was carefully and methodically laying the groundwork to assume his new identity as Doctor Hadad. The majority of his time was spent studying all of the intel he could garner, plus doing some recon work of his own. Meeting with Jake on the outskirts of Islam-berg, he flew a tiny drone over the compound on several occasions. The drone was the size of a dragonfly and could hover and take high resolution photographs. He was getting the lay of the land from an aerial view. He referred back to the information he obtained in December when he visited with King Sahim in Dubai. The Monarch voiced concerns to Ben about the United States losing the counter-terrorism battle on their own turf. The monarch shared valuable intel with Ben that further helped him on this mission.

  He now knew the Islam-berg in Massachusetts was one of the operations King Sahim told him about setting up inside of the United States to do great harm. The men and women living in this compound were traveling to Pakistan, Syria, Libya, Lebanon and Yemen for guerilla training and orders, then returning to live an American life, blending into society in the United States. Living in the compounds these terrorists were sealing out all aspects of American law and order. Yet they took food stamps and any free aid they could get from the generosity of the American government. More money supported the compound’s jihad efforts from the Muslims of Peace fund, or directly from Ali Farouz. And, there was money earned by the terrorists through black-market deals, gun running, theft, fraud, it ran the gamut. Ben was stunned at how much money was put into the hands of people who pretended to be peaceful but, in reality, hell bent on doing great harm.

  Sahim's information came from major players on the ground in the war-torn countries. Informants. Ben was always cultivating them. Their main motivation was almost always revenge and the desire to annihilate their competition in the sick world in which they lived. King Sahim provided names, address, coordinates, and photographs of those living in the United States who had been to the training camps. Many of the people in Sahim's photographs matched those in the compound. Now Ben had something to go on. Dossiers were compiled.

  Sahim's greatest fears had all come true. Savage violence was spreading through the Middle East from Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria, and now pouring into Iraq and Jordan. Iraq was falling to the Radical Islamic State once again. There were thirty-five splinter groups of Al Qaeda; Ben called them "fill-in-the-blank" terrorist groups. Afghanistan was crumbling, too. Mass beheadings and crucifixions were taking place in the two countries he had spent a decade trying to democratize. Christians were being targeted for annihilation; the photographs were abhorrent. Innocent people were being murdered by the hundreds and dumped into mass graves. The footage was placed on YouTube and the terrorists laughed and bragged about their savage acts.

  Meanwhile Ben's Dark Horse Guardians were doing massive amounts of recon on the members living in the compound and feeding real-time data to him via the gaming website. Everything was coded and Ben was shocked by what he learned. Women and children had been murdered inside the compound. Local police dared not enter. The FBI was trying to infiltrate but to no avail. It was too risky and politically unpalatable. This made Ben sick to his stomach. What was happening to the United States? Political correctness, sensitivity training, these things prevented officers of the law from doing their jobs. But he knew it was a top-down order and sensed the frustration every time he spoke to an officer of the law or the men and women trying to secure the borders. The border patrol agents were frustrated. They’d apprehend those entering illegally but when they turned them over to ICE, they were released with an order to appear in court. And, of course, the court appearance never occurred. The illegal people disappeared into the fabric of American life. Many were criminals and terrorists. When Ben spoke with the border agents or law men, their conversations always
centered on the fact that the United States was being put into grave danger. Ben knew the orders were coming from those at the very top of the food chain. The attorney general and the president of the United States and those in his cabinet were undermining the very safety of the country they had sworn to defend. The knowledge of this served to increase his devotion to protect the United States of America from great harm.

  ~ Lara ~

  Lara had the new sign installed in front of the Craftsmen bungalow just blocks from the pink Victorian. "Dark Horse Renovation" was beautifully lettered in gold upon a navy blue background. The sign, itself, was distressed and made to look like an antique. The letters shimmered in the late afternoon sun and a satisfied smile spread across her face. She was placing flower pots on the front porch just before leaving. The furniture had arrived earlier and Monique helped her arrange everything so it flowed perfectly. Tony, the foreman on one of her renovation projects, allowed her to borrow a painter and the rooms were freshly painted in earthy tones two days before the furnishings arrived. Monique had done a wonderful job sourcing all of the pieces. It was a great project for her as an intern.

  As Lara placed the last flower pot on the porch, the familiar white Bentley pulled up to the curb and the window rolled down, "I need a private tour!" Eliot Stone's deep voice projected from the backseat. "Hello, Eliot…of course, I'll show you the place…" The driver pulled into the small parking lot behind the bungalow and parked. Smiling, Eliot came inside "Dark Horse Renovation" for the first time. He paused in the entryway and his dark brown eyes met hers in the reflection of the Victorian mirror. "Oh Lara, this is very well done." Standing behind her, he put his hands on her shoulders, and stood a little too close for comfort. Lara led him through the large parlor and two bedrooms that now served as offices and ended up in the tiny kitchen with him. "You have arrived, Lara." Smiling, Eliot was seemingly sentimental as he gently took her hand into his. She smiled back, "I could not have done this without you, Eliot, and I want to thank you for everything…" He sat in a chair at the vintage kitchen table, "If you really want to thank me, you'll invite me for a private luncheon here in this tiny kitchen so we can talk together like old times at the firm."

  Lara knew her husband would burst an artery if she invited Eliot Stone to a private lunch in the bungalow Ben had just purchased for her. "Yes, Eliot, that would be fun." She was pacifying him. She knew deep down she would not be having lunch with Eliot in this kitchen unless other people were present and Ben knew about it well in advance. She was cautious not to push Ben when it came to Eliot. Ben despised the man even though Eliot had enriched Lara's life on so many levels. But Ben constantly reminded her that Eliot's intentions might not be so noble.

  In an attempt to move him on his way, Lara walked Eliot out of the bungalow to the porch. As she did so, Ben drove onto the front walkway with the Indian motorcycle. Lara watched as Ben removed his helmet and kicked the stand out from under the bike. He looked incredibly handsome and somewhat angry. "Hello Ben!" Eliot said standing on the porch extending his hand. Ben jumped up on the porch and shook his hand. Lara noticed how Ben leaned in and towered over Eliot as if he wanted to intimidate him. "What do you think of the place?" Ben asked. Eliot smiled and glanced at Lara with admiration in his eyes, "Our girl is doing well. She is a successful business owner now and there's no stopping her. I'm proud of what she has accomplished." Lara sensed that Ben was either going to throw up or punch Eliot in the face. So, she acted quickly to break the heavy tension. "Eliot, I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by."

  Lara watched Eliot slide into the waiting Bentley that had pulled to the curb for him. She politely waved as the vehicle was swallowed up by the heavy traffic on the avenue. Immediately she sensed Ben's suspicions. "What the hell was he doing here alone with you?" he asked in a measured tone. Lara remained calm, "It was an unexpected visit. I just got the sign up and was putting flower pots on the porch and, voila, he showed up – just like that. He was only here for a few minutes." Ben had that serious look on his face like he wanted to believe her but she knew he just didn't trust Eliot. He immediately apologized and embraced her, "I'm sorry my darlin', I know he has been helpful to you. But I don't like the thought of him being here alone with you. Plus, I'm a bit jealous. He got the tour before I did."

  Taking Ben's hand she pulled him inside the front doorway. Lara stopped in the entryway facing the Victorian mirror and studied Ben's reflection as his blue eyes lit up. "Holy Jesus, this place looks great!" She loved his enthusiasm and the subtle Irish inflection in his voice at unguarded moments. She led him from room to room showing him every little detail. They ended up in the cute little kitchen and Lara handed Ben a cold ginger ale from the fridge proclaiming, “It's all stocked and ready to go!”

  Ben drank the ginger ale in about two minutes and Lara felt his eyes roaming over her. Smiling, his dimples were on display along with that familiar mischievous look in his blue eyes. He placed his hand on the vintage kitchen table and teased, "I think this table is just about the right height…" Lara put her finger on his lips. His beard was full now and tickled her when she kissed him. "I'll be gentle," he continued. She lightly pushed him away, although the wild thought ran through her mind of doing it on that table with her husband, just like that. She managed to placate him as sensibility prevailed, "Another time, Ben." We've got to meet Mom and Rusty, Monique and Bettencourt, and Don and Olivia for dinner tonight…to celebrate. Remember?" He pushed her gently against the wainscoted wall in the kitchen and French kissed her slowly. "Okay, he finally acquiesced – but, you're not getting off that easily. I want to have you for lunch in this kitchen! I have an excellent memory, you know." Lara blushed, "Oh, I know!”

  ~ Ben ~

  Even though Ben was kissing Lara in the kitchen of her bungalow he couldn’t get the disgusting thought of Eliot Stone out of his mind. Ben looked upon Eliot as a dog pissing on his leg. And, the trust fund brat really knew how to yank his chain. "Our girl"…how dare that asshole utter those words about his wife? He came close to pushing Eliot's face in today, but Lara saved him from his childish anger. There would be a day of reckoning between him and Eliot Stone, this much he knew. In a few weeks he would be neighbors with the guy. Ben was all about giving orders, setting up boundaries and clarifying things right away. That came from his Navy training. Once they were moved into Clearwater Farm, he would have a private tête-à-tête with Eliot to make sure he understood everything.

  Unbeknownst to the rich boy, Ben had been tracking his movements lately and discovered that Eliot had been making visits to a high-end prostitute with long dark hair and green eyes, no doubt a substitute for Lara. It didn’t bother him that the woman was a hooker. But he was shocked when he saw the surveillance photos; the woman could have been Lara’s twin. The whole thing made Ben's skin crawl. What was this man’s obsession with his wife? He wished the spoiled bastard would get a life. Ben knew for a fact that women continually threw themselves at the wealthy good-looking playboy at the yacht club and he had dated wealthy female clients. He could have any woman in the world except Lara. However, Ben sensed the snake was after his wife in a very surreptitious manner…so carefully orchestrated, in fact, that even Lara was unaware of it.

  Back at the condo, Ben focused on getting ready for a fun-filled night with his wife and good friends. He ran his hand over his beard as he washed his face in preparation for the evening. He didn't like the way he looked with the beard, but he had no choice. He was getting ready for the upcoming mission and if he had to look this way for a few more weeks he'd suck it up. The Dark Horse Guardians all had beards now and were moving into places in Springfield finding rental units and blending into their respective neighborhoods. Recon was ninety percent of the work that they did. Ben had a few former FBI spooks on the payroll, too, sifting through human intelligence on a daily basis, tracking phone calls and all comings and goings at the compound. Every aspect of the terrorists' lives was scrutinized. If they purchased something o
n a credit card, it was noted. Everything they did or communicated was recorded and reviewed.

  For a few hours tonight he would set aside the mission and its details. He wanted to enjoy this time with Lara. She was happy about her new renovation business and she had good reason to be -- it had taken off like a rocket. She had more clients than she had time, which was a good thing. But it also stole her away from him. He craved being alone with her and looked forward to every moment they shared together no matter how routine. Tonight they'd drive up the coast of Maine to a well-known restaurant for fresh lobster. The Lobster Trap, filled with tourists this time of year, was a wonderful restaurant about an hour away. Ben looked forward to the enjoyable drive along the picturesque coast. He told the police department he'd be Bettencourt's bodyguard tonight and armed himself accordingly. He knew Rusty would be carrying as well as Lara. And, Bettencourt would have his sidearm.

  ~ Eliot Stone ~

  Eliot Stone was daydreaming about the tall dark haired woman waiting for him to arrive in her oceanfront unit. The resort town an hour north of Portland had white sand beaches and tourists coming and going on a regular basis. It was a bit out of the way, but he liked that about the location. He felt there would be less prying eyes in this locale. As the white Bentley glided along the highway, the driver turned onto Route 112 then onto Salt Spray Lane which ended at the Atlantic Ocean. He felt his heartbeat quicken and the anticipation was almost unbearable. It was as if he was going to see Lara, except this Lara would be a sultry sex slave for him.