by Finian Blake
“We lost twelve agents. We will take care of our own.”
“You mean like loading them in a bus and driving them off a cliff?” Evan winced at that one.
“It made me sick to even think about that. It was the only way that we could explain their deaths to their families. We are returning them for burial. We could not return the bodies full of holes and tell their families how the holes got there.” A frustrated look came over Evan’s face. “How did you find out about the details?” Valery returned his look with a cold stare.
“We are top operatives. It was not at all difficult.” She made a quick motion with her arm. “We should not have to ask this question. You have us way outside of our mission. All of us want you to know that we are here for business not personal revenge. If you put us out in the public eye you will back us to the hilt. Twelve agents were killed and we have no intention of feeding that number.”
Evan assured them, “I will do whatever is necessary to back you up. We have fresh ID’s for you to use. None of you will be using your correct names and we made a blanket move to pull all of your fingerprints out of the system.” Evan made the swing back to the operation. “We need to assume that all of our subjects are part of the deal. They may all be armed. It’s the only way that we can explain the instant response.”
Valery was not happy with the fluff answers so she pushed again. “Are you telling me that a fifty-year-old deaconess was sitting around her living room singing hymns, while cleaning her Uzi?” Evan made a mental note to put her team on the apartment. He hated to work with female sweepers. Her team had one woman, two black men and one male Asian. Evan would send them over to the apartment, to work with the forensic team. The other team had four white men that he felt comfortable with and they would be on the church. The choir director was the key.
Edward and Layla were out on a Hobie Cat. It was extremely responsive in the light air. The Cat moved rapidly over the water. It was pounding into a moderate chop, so the there was a fairly heavy vibration on the mesh between the hulls. Layla lay back in his arms. She turned pulling his swim trunks down. She pulled the material of her bikini bottom to the side straddling him. Layla slipped him inside of her letting the vibration of the boat work its magic. She hugged him fiercely and he slipped a puffy nipple in his mouth. Layla blocked Edward’s vision, so she gave him directions which he followed blindly. The spray was surprisingly warm for Southern California waters. There were no other boats on the water as they rounded the sea wall. The left hull of the cat lifted several feet out of the water and when it slammed back into the water. They both experienced a powerful mutual orgasm. Layla and Edward looked around to see if anyone was watching. Anna and Nia were standing on the break water with Anna applauding and Nia shaking her fist.
Edward awoke to a pounding on the bedroom door. It took him a few minutes to realize that he was in Alice’s guest room. He could clearly hear Layla’s voice through the door.
“Wake up I know that you are in there.” Edward opened the door.
“What’s the panic?” Layla pushed him back until he fell backward on to the bed. She was wearing a towel around her to cover her swim suit.
“You were dreaming about me weren’t you?” Edward smiled reflectively at the thought of his dream while Layla continued. “I was asleep too. We were sailing and I mounted you while you steered the boat. Your view was blocked so I gave you directions. We had a powerful orgasm when the hull slammed into the water.”
“You forgot about the part about our mothers standing on the seawall as we pulled into the Marina. You had the same dream?” Layla dropped the towel to reveal a damp spot between the legs of her bikini bottom. “I seem to have the same problem.” Layla pulled out her recorder and held it up to Edwards face. I want the details of your dream. I already made my recording.” Edward went through the dream in as much detail as he could remember. Layla was thrilled that both dreams were absolutely identical.
“We had identical dreams at the same time, while we were both sleeping in different houses. I could see and feel everything. I woke up early what was my mother doing?”
Edward laughed, “She was shaking her fist and Anna was applauding.”
Layla sighed, “At least our dreams are realistic. Mom is clean around the bend with all of this. I am going to lay back, with pushing her. All she has left is me and the church.”
“Is she going to attend services?” Edward expressed his concern.
“She says that she is,” Layla said weakly. “Will your father let her?”
Edward said thoughtfully, “He won’t like it, but you are not prisoners. You can do whatever you want, but I am sure that he will try to talk her out of it.”
“What will he do if she insists,” Layla asked fearing a blowup.
“Dad will set something up to protect us.”
“I better go. Momma will be around the bend angry with me.” Edward and Layla walked down the dock. They entered the kitchen by way of the patio. Nia and Anna were having coffee with Nia jumping on Layla as soon as she cleared the door.
“Where have you been?”
“Edward went over to Alice’s to take a nap when I finished mine I walked over to get him. Wwe took a little stroll down the dock.”
“Just because Edward replaced your car does not mean that he owns you,” Nia said in a huff.
Layla snapped, “It just so happens that I like him!”
“So you prefer him to your family.”
“I like boys. Would you rather that I like girls?”
Nia lost control, “Don’t you ever talk to me like that. You are going to church with me on Sunday.”
Layla tried reason, “We can’t go to our church they will be watching.”
“I have never missed church. I am going to church, and I am going to sit with the choir.”
Anna had to step in, “Layla is right. They will be watching. The church and Edward’s apartment are the only connections that they have. They have no choice, but to watch both. I can prove it. Take a ride with me.”
Nia would not back off, “Of course they will watch the apartment. Four people were shot there, but nobody got shot at my church. I am going to church and that is that.” Anna had enough.
“You have the right to be as dumb as you please, but you will not put my family in danger. Alex will set something up for you.”
“Who are you calling dumb?” Nia struck an indignant pose.
Anna was not going to let go of this one, “You should be dead. Those men already killed two people and they were well equipped. If you want to go to church, there are hundreds of them in LA. There is just one place that you need to avoid and that is the only one that will work for you. You would endanger your husband, daughter, everyone that helped you plus yourself. That is what I mean when I say dumb. Alex will help you. Follow his instructions if you want our help.” The rest of the night was quiet and everybody kept to themselves.
Saturday morning Grace called the house. They are taking Edward’s place apart. There are two forensic vans outside of the building and there are eight or ten men walking around the neighborhood asking questions about him. Do you want me to find out what they are asking about?” Alex did not seem upset.
Alex felt the need to jump in, “No thanks, I know the questions. They would not be so obvious, if they did not want us to look at them. They want us to look them over so that they can get a look at us. They will take the license plates of everybody that drives by. They want us close. I have a long lens for my camera. I can get pictures of them. Edward, is there any way that you can view the apartment? I want you to get a good look at as many people as you can.”
Edward went up to the master bedroom and lay down on the bed. He started into his rhythmic breathing and lightly closed his eyes. He started to lift off the bed. It was infinitely easier than the last time. Layla came out of Edward’s room.
“He’s traveling again, isn’t he?”
“How do you know, Layla?”
“We have a connection, so when Edward steps out I can feel it.”
Edward entered his apartment. There were two people in every room. The two-bedroom apartment was sparsely furnished. They were dusting for prints and literally going over things with a fine tooth comb. There was a short man in a grey suit with a medium build and a short haircut, directing the work. He had an ID badge on the breast pocket of his coat. I believe that it was a NSA badge and the name on it was Evan Black. He was also the man directing the operation in the garage when they dropped the van off.
Evan looked at a small stack of papers as he moved into the building. Two agents were in the hall interviewing some of his neighbors. He moved out into the neighborhood. There was a woman interviewing some more of the residents down the block. He found a total of six agents. He could not linger so he returned. Edward remained still for several minutes before he could move. He sat up on the bed and Layla turned on her recorder. She looked at Alex. “We need to get his impressions before they start to fade.” She was sitting on the bed with Edward when Nia looked down the hallway.
“Is this what you are doing behind my back?” Alex opened up on her before Layla could speak.
“Back off, she is doing her job. Your daughter is twenty-five and can make up her own mind.” Nia flared back.
“She is my daughter, no matter how old she is.” Nia spun on her heel and started to walk out the door. She asked Alex on her way out of the room, “Anna said that you would arrange something so that I can go to church.”
“Are you sure that you must go?”
Nia flared, “I ought to know my own mind.”
Alex was not happy, “All right I will make arrangements for a car, but you leave all of the new papers here. I don’t want anything that will connect Jeff and Cassandra with any of this.”
“All you do is tell us what we can and can’t do.”
Alex lost it, “You wouldn’t have that problem, if we let them kill you.” Nia stormed down the hall to the guest room and slammed the door.
Alex took the afternoon to drive down to the storage yard pulling a 1990 Ford Taurus LX out of the line and driving it to the car wash. Alex had them do a full cleaning including the upholstery and carpets paying cash for all of the work. It had always been well cared for, so the car looked quite presentable, when he was finished. Alex drove back to the house. The old Taurus was in very presentable shape. The air conditioning needed some attention so he had it serviced. The car was registered to a false address that was a vacant lot, out in the Antelope Valley. Alex laughed at the address since it was a vacant lot two miles down the road from the Farm. He kept three of these cars for emergencies. Alex spent half the day preparing the car. He pulled it in the garage and brought Nia down for an inspection.
“You want me to drive that bucket of bolts?” The car was washed, waxed, and started with just the touch of a key. The interior was slightly worn, but steam cleaned and fresh smelling.
Alex was losing his patience, “It is extremely dependable and there is not a scratch on it. If you prefer, you can take the city bus or hitch hike.”
“It will have to do.” Nia took the keys from his hand without saying thank you.
“Here is an envelope with your former ID. Give me the ones that we made for you.”
Nia took the old papers and Alex managed to get the others, “What about needing a new name?”
“Everybody at your church knows you. It is rather pointless if you go there and use a false name. Is there any chance that I can talk you into going to any other church?”
“You may be able to take over Bill and Layla’s life, but you can’t run mine.” Nia snapped her fingers in Alex’s face, storming off in a huff. Alex was regretting ever helping her, but there were Bill and Layla. They were extremely appreciative of his help. He just had to accept her as part of the set.
Failing to convince Bill and Layla to go with her, Nia left for church on her own. She drove straight there and went directly inside. Don and his team spotted her right away. She was one of fifteen people that arrived early. They decided to wait until services were over. Busting her in a church full of people was not an option. The whole set up stank. The parishioners were all black and Don’s team was all white. They stayed back in the van as far as they could. It was a white van with blacked out windows and there was a lot of conversation about just going into church and arresting her. They had ID cards and badges. After thirty more parishioners walked in the church that option was off the table. They were doubtful that she would show up at all so the other team was watching the apartment. The plan was to grab Stephanie and interrogate her, if she did show up. They did not want to get in a shootout with automatic weapons in a church parking lot on a Sunday morning.
When the services were over it was panic time. A hundred people came pouring out of the church jumping in their cars and driving off. They kept an eye on her car and as luck would have it, everyone had left before she decided to leave. Her car was the only one left in the parking lot. She stayed to put away the choir robes and books before she left. Stephanie was talking to the pastor on the steps of the church. Things were looking up. This looked like it had a good chance of working.
The van started from the curb slowly driving to the entrance of the parking lot. Don hit the accelerator and came to a screeching halt blocking her car in the space. The three men in back threw open the sliding door of the van and started to jump out. Stephanie heard the van accelerate and spun around. She reached in her purse for her keys hoping to get in the car. Don heard somebody say the word gun and several shots were fired. Nobody was willing to end up like the other teams. Stephanie was hit by nine rounds most of which passed through her hitting the car. They were prepared for a fully equipped team equipped with body armor, so they used armor piercing rounds. They quickly picked her up and threw Stephanie in the van. The pastor came out the door just in time to see the van rounding the corner. Disregarding his personal safety, the Pastor ran out into the parking lot seeing a pool of blood on the ground and several bullet holes in the car. He ran inside the church calling the police.
Inside the van the team checked Stephanie out. She was dead before she hit the ground. Blood was leaking out of several holes in her torso and with the exception of Don everybody was covered with blood.
“Shit there was not supposed to be any shooting.”
Patrick one of the other team members snapped back. “She went for a gun. We are not going to end up like the other team. They were using automatic weapons.” Stephanie’s hand was still wedged in her purse. Ron pulled her hand out. “It was her car keys!” Don turned on to the I-10 and switched to the I-15. They kept driving the speed limit, not wanting to get stopped. Don had no place to go, but back to the Farm. He did not call in. Don wanted time to figure out a story for Evan. He had a dead subject and that was not acceptable, but they did have her purse and that might provide some information.
“We should have gotten her car.”
“I think that the police would have shown up before the tow truck did and I sure don’t want to be driving a car full of bullet holes splattered with blood around after a shooting. Evan can get the information from the police.” They drove on to the Farm and pulled in the gate pulling in the false chicken coop.
Evan came up to the van roaring. “What kind of a fuck up is this?”
Don hopped out of the van. “What are you talking about?” Evan motioned him to the back of the van pointing out the rear bumper that was covered in blood. It leaked out past the door seal and was dripping freely on to the concrete floor. He threw open the doors and saw Stephanie lying dead on the floor of the van. The team was covered in blood. Wanting to keep the team Evan decided not to say any more about what happened.
“Clean the van, burn those clothes and get her down to the clinic for autopsy. I want a full debriefing in one hour. Have forensics go through everything that she had with her.
The police crime scene van was pulled acr
oss the entrance of the parking lot. It was not hard to figure out that there had been a shooting. The Taurus had several bullet holes in it and there was a large pool of blood next to the car. The only strange thing was that there was no body. The pastor was sitting on the stairs of the church in stunned disbelief.
“I am Detective Martinez. What happened here?” The pastor held out both of his hands toward the car.
“They shot my choir director and took her body.”
“Were there any eye witnesses?”
The pastor was at the end of his comprehension, “No I was talking to her on the steps. She went to her car and I went inside. I heard gun fire and came out to see a white van driving around the corner. One of our parishioners has an electronics business and installed a video monitor for the parking lot. It’s on an eight-hour loop. There might be something on it.”
Detective Martinez could not believe that someone was shot in the church parking lot on a Sunday morning without anybody seeing it, “Have you looked at the tape?”
“No, we were in shock.” They walked into the parish office and Detective Martinez turned off the recorder.
“Let’s start with the victim’s name?”
“She was our choir director, Stephanie Baxter.”
The detective shook his head in disbelief, “We were just here asking you about her. Why didn’t you call us?”
“We talked before church and she said that she was going to the police right after services.”
“What about her husband and daughter?”
“All that she said was that they were alright and staying with friends.”
Detective Martinez looked out the window. Two trucks from the news stations were setting up raising their satellite antennas in preparation for a live broadcast. This was supposed to be the quite time of day when most everybody was in church or watching football. He called in all of the available help. He also notified the FBI since they had an interest in the case and they called the ATF because they were called out on the automatic weapons at the Baxter’s house. “Well we have the whole alphabet soup here, if we missed anyone it was just an oversight.”