Mercury Decending (Mercury Black Authority Book 3)

by Finian Blake

  “Wanda, what have you come up with?”

  “I have someone in Houston to do the pictures. Have Laurita bring a few changes of clothing when she goes there. My contact in Spain started work on the identities and he will send me the partially completed identities with the forms that need to be signed. He needs to insert the forms in the appropriate files so that they are official, so you are looking at two weeks before they are finished. Call me from Houston, and I will have more for you.” Wanda broke the connection.

  Rich stopped by Jewel foods picking up the basic necessities. He arrived at the new place around five thirty with Pat meeting him at the door.

  “Momma cooked a large meal. Why don’t you join us I believe she wants to get to know her new tenant better?”

  “I am not presentable. I need to wash up”

  “Clean up first then come to dinner.” Rich hurriedly found the towels, and did a quick clean up.” When he entered they greeted him warmly. The family recently moved from New York City. Pat’s father died in a construction accident working on a subway. The settlement was enough to buy the apartment building in Chicago. Pat’s brothers were electricians, and could not break the union game. Without a card they could not get jobs, and without a job they could not get cards. Rich knew somebody involved with unions, and made a call. Pat thought that he was showboating.

  “That was impressive, but can you get any results.” Rich called the same number after dinner asking Chloe for a sheet of paper and a pen and after a few moments of scribbling, Rich hung up. He gave the number to the oldest brother Cyrus.

  “Go down to the union hall with Philip in the morning, and give this to the treasurer.”

  Pat looked at him skeptically. “Is it that easy? We tried everything even bribing one of the union officials and all you have to do is make a phone call.”

  Rich looked at Cyrus. “Go down to the hall. I hate to waste favors.”

  Pat looked at her brothers. “If you get cards I swear that I will take him to bed, and screw his brains out.” Rich left with that comment. Pat’s mother Chloe didn’t like Pat’s brash statement at all.

  “You made an oath. Are you prepared to keep it?” Pat took another fork full of food chewing it in a pouting silence.

  Rich took the morning for himself unpacking his few personal things working the new place into some kind of reasonable order. He had only six boxes and twenty hung garments to store leaving the small closet a quarter full. Rich kept his personal possessions to a minimum and his entire kitchen fit in one large box. The thing that most people noticed was that there were no souvenirs or personal pictures. The few pictures that he did have were of scenery. He was never home and had no need for the normal trappings. He used the phone upstairs to order phone service for himself. There had already been a phone in the apartment so the phone company would not have to access the apartment. About a quarter to twelve the brothers, came racing down to the apartment. Both Cyrus and Philip were holding up union cards announcing that they would be starting their new jobs tomorrow. When Rich started to laugh the smile left both of their faces.

  “Don’t worry I would never hold her to that promise. I do ask you one favor. Call Pat at work and tell her she has to pay off. A little worry is a small penance for her smart mouth.” Both brothers eagerly agreed and ran upstairs to make the call. Pat’s mother came down with tears in her eyes.

  “You wouldn’t…” Chloe said tearfully

  “I am only teasing her.”

  Chloe agreed, “She needs to be careful about what she says.” Momma gave Noah a half smile.

  Rich laughed, “She does need to watch what she says. Will you help me?” Momma was raised in the area where Turkey met Soviet Georgia and there were no casual oaths. Cyrus and Philip were born in Armenia, but Pat was born in New York, so her attitude was much different from the rest of the family. Rich slipped out to call from a pay phone. He did not want to make the call to Laurita in Houston, from his apartment. He gave her the number of the person she was supposed to contact. She promised to get the pictures done the next day. He returned and continued to square away the new place.

  Anna interrupted the story to ask some questions.

  “Rita you cooperated with ‘Hermes’, to make the IDs?”

  “Yes, I made the calls and had the pictures taken. The contact came out the evening that ‘Hermes’ called. He had me change clothes, redo my makeup and change my hair do several times. The photographer explained that over several photos nobody looks the same.”

  “It seems that you went out of your way to cooperate. I thought that you did not want this plan to succeed.” Anna had to interrupt Alex with her question.

  “I promised poppa that I would go along with the program,” Laurita shrugged. “If all of these plans came to be I did not want to be the one at a disadvantage.” Anna mixed some more drinks and passed them out wanting to maintain Rita’s buzz. They all settled back with their drinks and Alex continued his story.

  Pat returned about four o’clock. Rich could hear loud arguments upstairs. There was a knock on the door. Rich saw Pat’s pouting face framed by her raven hair.

  “I must keep my oath. Momma says that there are no casual oaths.” The look on her face was enough for Rich. He smiled broadly.

  “At the very least, I deserve a dinner out.” The look on her face was split between relief and anger. Her finger stopped an inch below his nose. “You set me up!” Pat spun on her heel screeching, “Momma.” Rich took her to the French restaurant that he was at last night. Pat was surprised that a man renting a small apartment would be known at a place like this.

  “I am a courier for international shipments. I am never home, so ninety percent of my time is on expense account. I just need a small place with a key to lock my stuff up. Starting tomorrow, I will be out of town for a week.”

  “You set me up!” She made a fist across the table. Pat would not let that fact go. “I had to tell momma and my brothers that they were right.”

  “Well, tell me, which would you rather do?” A big pout came over Pat’s face.

  “I think that I would prefer dinner,” Pat pouted.

  “And dinner it is.” Rich jested.

  “I thought that you were showing off, to impress us.”

  “I was. Your brothers have jobs and union cards, with a phone call. Are you not impressed?” Pat smiled at Rich.

  “Yes, I am impressed and my family is happy. Now, what about my oath?”

  “I release you from your oath. I would hate to see you lose your virginity to an oath.”

  “I am not a virgin.” Rich reached across the table taking her hand.

  “In that case…” Pat extended her fist over the table with a smile. Pat was attracted to Rich by his sense of humor. He walked her to the front door and went down to his apartment using the outside entrance. Momma and her brothers were sitting in the living room waiting for her. Momma broke the silence.

  “Are you going to keep your oath?” Chloe looked worried.

  “Not tonight, may be another time.” Pat smiled, and walked off to her room.

  There was no point in getting up early. Everything was in the same time zone. He waited for nine and went to a pay phone.

  Rich called Julio, “Mooney the boys are really pissed. They heard that you are talking to the Feds. Do you think that you can turn us in and get away with it? If you rat us out, you will pay the price.”

  “Who in the fuck is this?”

  “You know.”

  “Is this Frank?”

  “Who do you think it is you rat piece of shit?” Rich broke the connection. The whole conversation took less than twenty seconds. It was recorded, and logged by the FBI as coming from Chicago. Next he called the air lines for a flight to Houston.

  Rich left a note on his land lady’s door ‘I WILL BE OUT OF TOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS DON’T WORRY’. He packed a bag and left.

  Rich met Laurita at the clinic.

  “Where the hell were
you?” Laurita knew that with every success that Rich had, her father was closer to dying. She knew the pain was unbearable, but she did not want to lose him.

  “I was taking care of business. I am not a puppet sent here to entertain you.” Rich made arrangements for the flight back to Mexico City. When they arrived, Rich let Laurita and Juan take the limo with Rich following their tail in another car. Rich stuck his head in to see how Juan was doing after his trip while he waited for the limo to take him to Julio’s hacienda. When Rich arrived Julio was pissed.

  “Some asshole called here and accused me of talking to the Feds.”

  Rich coughed lightly, “That would be me.”

  Julio moved toward him in a threatening manner, “You rat bastard, what the hell are you doing?”

  “I am trying to make them think that you will actually do it.”

  “What the fuck for,” Julio stormed.

  “If you have to die somebody has to kill you and they need a reason. We have to make the FBI believe you will turn over on your side.” Mooney slowed down a little. “Somebody needs to kill you and you will have a full blown mob sendoff out of the Montclair Funeral Home, with six flower cars and a few hundred mourners. There ought to be twenty or thirty FBI photographers to get the guests. The good news is that you get to see your own funeral.”

  “That ought to drive the boys nuts. Whoever does not show up will get the blame for dropping the ‘hammer’. That might be entertaining all by itself. Let me chew on that for a while.” Julio went to bed. Rich poured himself a drink. It took some nerve to face the wrath of a man that powerful and he needed some fortification to recover from the experience. Laurita was another problem. She knew that her father wanted this. He did not want to spend the balance of his life out of his mind with pain. Laurita would never forgive Rich for suggesting it to her father. Rich knew that he would be permanently on her shit list for that move.

  Morning came and Julio was in a much better mood. Laurita came early and cooked breakfast for the two men with Rich finding large chunks of shell in his eggs. He decided to go with charred toast and triple strength bitter coffee. He chased breakfast with a glass of brandy, the burn of the alcohol seeming mild in comparison to her wonderful breakfast. Julio was laughing at Rich while he finished his breakfast.

  “I think you are going to have to do your own cooking. She probably pissed in the coffee and crapped in the brownies.” Laurita took the breakfast from the table throwing it plate and all in the trash.

  “I need to have you kidnapped to the states. The Minister needs to work on that one.” He took Julio by the arm and walked him into the clean room. “Juan will not last that long. We need to get this done within a few weeks max or he will not be able to pass.” You talk to Laurita and make her understand that this is her future. She has to stop screwing with the plan. I am going to talk to the Minister and you will be back in the states, within seven days.” Rich pressed a bottle into Julio’s hand. “These pills will make you sick take one when they come to kidnap you. They will tear your guts out but you have got to look convincing. You will need to see Doctor Cash at his clinic in Houston after you are back in the States. When all of the tests are completed you will have terminal cancer throughout your body and need to go back to your house in Oak Park. We will make the switch there.”

  “What about the papers?”

  “We will do the pictures in Houston, and they will be ready in four days. We are already working on the back ground.”

  “My CIA contact is a man called Snark,” Julio said. “You know I work through a program called ‘Mercury’ Black’.” Rich did not tell Mooney that Tony had arranged a ‘Mercury’ Black clearance two years ago. “They call when they need a few things done that nobody can admit to.” As soon as he said the word nobody, he understood the name, Noah Body. “So you are a, nobody. Did Wanda come up with that one?” Rich nodded silently. “Well tell Tony that you are working directly for me from now on. You will be too hot for him to cover your action after this. When you talk to Snark tell him that you need a ‘‘Mercury’ Black’ clearance.” Rich started laughing on the way out. “What the hell is so funny?”

  “I am not just another asshole anymore.” Rich went out to the car, and waited for Laurita to return back home. She was still completely pissed off at him.

  “It was the only way that your father could guarantee your future and he wants his pain to end.”

  “Yes, but you suggested it.”

  “I will tell Juan that we can’t work our deal and that will be the end of your problem.”

  Laurita rushed to stop him, “No, Papa will be furious with me.”

  Rich was getting frustrated, “The only reason that I am doing this is that he agreed to the deal. We can’t do both. Julio likes you, and will probably take care of you any way. Your father can live with his pain, and I will find another way.” He looked sternly at Laurita. “Go tell your father to forget the deal. I need to get busy on some other plan.” The car pulled up in front of the house.

  Rich opened the door to let Laurita out. “We will work the deal,” Laurita sulked. “My father wishes it.”

  “Then I must talk to him,” Rich demanded

  “Why…?”

  “I need his final approval. Nothing more will be done, until I hear it from his lips.” Laurita looked worried so Rich reassured her. “I will tell him that it is a final check. We will not mention this discussion.” Rich had the car wait for him. They walked in the house, finding that Juan was sitting in the living room reading.

  “Sir, before the plans proceed,” Rich asked solemnly, “I wish to be sure that this is what you want to do.”

  “Has Laurita been causing any trouble?” A stern look came over Juan’s face.

  “No, she has not. I merely wish to be positive about your wishes. It is a big step and there is a need to check before we continue.”

  “I can’t stand the pain anymore if we could do this today, it would be a good thing, mi amigo.” She could see the pain in her father’s face. Laurita closed her eyes and nodded silently.

  “Let me assure you that there will be no unnecessary delays.” Rich walked to the door with Laurita. “Spend the time with your father. If you can talk him out of it, we will still change the plan. I will be back in a few hours.”

  “I tried to talk to him in Houston, but he will hear no more arguments,” Laurita said sorrowfully.

  Rich climbed in the car and was driven to the Minister’s office.

  “‘Hermes’ how are you today.”

  “Fine sir, I have news. You can be rid of this problem; any time you choose. We are ready to work your end.”

  The minister was sorry to be losing his bribes, “I will see what kind of a deal we can work for this breach of protocol.”

  “Julio suggests that you push for a very large bribe plus a few favors, since it will be embarrassing to your government.”

  “Rest assured they will pay for the privilege. They must leave the country immediately, and the agents involved will never be allowed in our country again. We have done some preliminary discussion, and they have an elaborate plan.” The Minister smiled at ‘Hermes’. “When do you anticipate his departure?”

  “Two days from now would be perfect.”

  “I am going to Costa Rica tomorrow to buy a vacation home. If you will excuse me I need to go home and pack. Have a pleasant day.” Rich placed a fat envelope on the desk and left. He was driven to Juan’s house, where he picked up Laurita.

  Rich waited in the secure room for Julio to finish lunch declining to eat any more of Laurita’s cooking. When Julio was finished he poured himself a drink, and sat down to hear the news.

  “The FBI is going to kidnap you the day after tomorrow. They will move you back to the states within a few hours after they have you. Insist that you are sick and want to see your doctor in Houston. Take one of these pills when they break in the hacienda and you can puke on them all the way back to the states. These pills
are ass kickers when we see each other again you will probably want to shoot me. In two weeks the word will go out on the street that you are going to turn states evidence, and you will be dead the following week.”

  “You are sure that this will work.”

  Rich smiled, “I would bet my life on it.”

  “You just did. Get the hell out of here asshole.” Rich waited for Laurita to finish her work, and left with her. As the car pulled up to Juan’s house, Rich produced a thick envelope handing it to her.

  “There are ten thousand dollars in here. Do something special with your father. I will be back in twenty days to pick you and Juan up. You will be going to the clinic and then on to Chicago. The Bishop will say mass for your father every day, for a month and your father will be mourned in every church in Mexico.” Laurita hefted the envelope and tucked it in her shopping bag and left the car without acknowledging the gift. Rich decided to postpone his trip home until after the raid on the Hacienda since he would probably need a face to face conversation with Minister Rodriguez.

  The agents dressed in their black fatigues, and at four AM they held their briefing. The complete layout of the Hacienda was covered. A team would cut the phone lines and power when the helicopter appeared on the horizon. The plan was to fly over in the early light as usual, but instead of going on station they would repel down, neutralize the bodyguard, and secure Julio in his bedroom. The four agents would stay at the Hacienda with the body guards until the Lear Jet was in the air for an hour. A second chopper would then take them, with two other agents to a waiting Lear Jet. They would then fly out over the Gulf of Mexico, before heading north. In an hours’ time they would be out of Mexican air space.