by Finian Blake
“People expect more than two digits if you enter more digits the safe will not open. If you try more than three times the safe will not open for twenty-four hours.” Alex pulled a Glock nine and a 38 with a two-inch barrel out of the safe.
“Let me guess Alex. The Glock nine is yours.”
“No I prefer the 38 Smith. I use target loads with wad cutter slugs.
“That’s not much punch.”
“The Wad cutters mushroom up nicely and will not exit. I don’t want to shoot my neighbors in their house. Besides that, I have my wife with her canon.” Anna gave Alex the finger.
“Both of your guns are empty.” Byrne pulled the slide back to insure that the chamber was in fact empty. “What if the intruder is right on top of you?”
“Then he will probably get to the gun first. I prefer to use my head instead of my gun and our police department is more than up to the challenge, so I use my installed security first.” Alex accepted the guns back from the Agent. “I believe in the martial arts saying: ‘If you have to fight you have already lost’.”
“This was not a casual break in. Those men had a sophisticated set up.”
Alex brightened up. “And you have four men in custody. I would have fared much worse with my 38 or the Glock. We are just an old couple playing with our investments.” Byrne had a feeling that this old couple could have handled things quite well. He stood up quickly and bumped in to Alex solidly. Alex bounced off of him and landed on the floor.
“You need to be careful young man. We have had the police out here. I don’t want to call the Paramedics.”
Agent Wright turned to Nadia. “Do you have a gun?” She thought about saying no.
“Yes, I have one in my luggage. I will get it for you.” Nadia sprinted upstairs and came down with the gun. The clip had been removed and the slide was in the full back position. She also had her purse with her. “I have a federal fire arms permit.” Agent Wright looked at the permit.
“This was issued twenty-five years ago.”
“They don’t expire. I have permits for several countries. I am registered as a bodyguard with Interpol.” Agent Wright had to ask the question.
“If you are a bodyguard what were you doing?”
“I was preparing to meet the intruders. The security system was designed by me,” Nadia lied. “I am not into cowboy heroics, when the police came on scene I stood back letting them do their job. As soon as the intruders were under control I put my gun away. I did not fire it otherwise I would have given it to you.”
It was almost five PM and time to go back and process the information. The slugs had been sent back to the lab and the forensic team was beginning to work the van back at headquarters. Byrne went for the exit question.
“You know that this was probably what they call a sweeper team. They had body bags and heavy fire power. They were using the identities of active FBI agents. The director back in Washington has given this his number one priority. Using false papers is one thing, but they were using IDs of active agents. That is way out of bounds even for an official agency. He wants some ass. Did you ever work for any other Agency?”
Alex could answer truthfully, “I had some government contracts from time to time. I have never worked for the government in any official capacity.”
“Is there any way that I can get test samples, of slugs from your guns,” Agent Byrne asked.
“I can send Nadia down to your forensics with the guns, and you can check the numbers and get samples. Would that work?”
Agent Byrne was happy that he would not require extreme pressure to get what he wanted. “That would be great these cases are career killers.” Byrne knew that his weapons check would yield nothing. Nadia collected the guns and accepted a ride with Agents Byrne and Wright. Once they were on the road. Agent Wright tried to get a conversation going.
“Your father is a pretty cool dude. He came out of his garage just like it was another day at the office and that pizza thing was something else.”
Nadia smiled, “That was great pizza. It’s his favorite place.”
Agent Byrne pressed, “What about the garage.”
Nadia smiled at the Agents in the front seat, “I don’t discuss anything in a car. They are too easy to bug. If you would like to, we can discuss the weather or pizza so we can kill some time.” Both Agents had to acknowledge that she was no push over and they spent the rest of the drive in silence.
When they arrived at FBI headquarters she was shown down to forensics. The technician prepared the tests. He logged in the serial numbers of all three guns and Nadia stopped him.
“You need to make two samples from each gun. You may have one and I will keep the other.”
“Don’t you trust us?” Nadia smiled at the technician.
“How do you tell someone that you want to screw them?”
“How…?”
“Trust me.” All three men got the inference immediately. The agent fired two samples from each gun and put them in separate sealed containers. Nadia had him sign the seals on the bags and put one each in her purse. The forensics man turned to Byrne.
“I have a match on the blood from the van. It matches the blood of the victim from the church killing a few weeks back. They took the body, but there was an ocean of blood on the ground. We did a preliminary run on the finger prints and it came back classified. Two of the guns from the weapons in the van match the slugs that were fired into the car. One of the names on the history of ownership for that car was Alexander Chalenger. That was a few names back. The woman’s house burned to the ground three days prior to that, so we are doing the investigation on that as a possible kidnaping. Their daughter’s car was found on fire riddled with bullet holes in Antelope Valley with no sign of the family members.”
Byrne turned to Nadia, “Well we found a connection. Your father was one of the previous owners of the car. Now we have to figure out why a sweeper team hit the choir director of a local church.” Nadia put on a surprised tone in her voice.
“They tried to kill my father because he was one of the previous owners of a car! I need to get back home now. That security system is a wreck and I have their weapons.” She thought for a moment calling Four Diamonds Security. “I need two cars and four guards over to Huntington Beach Marina now for number 13792468 dash 5.”
Agent Byrne was surprised that she could rattle off a nine-digit number off the top of her head. “Don’t you write things down?”
Nadia shrugged, “I have a photographic memory and a talent for numbers. Now call me a cab so I can get back to my parents’ house.”
Raymond was waiting for a call from Don’s team. The last call that he received had all the markings of a full blown disaster. He pulled the team from Edward’s apartment, to check on the new target. Brian went to check on the situation.
Brian called back an hour later, “We have a full blown disaster over there. They were just towing the van off as I got there. I mixed with the neighbors and found out that they arrested three suspects and towed the van.”
“Was anybody shot?”
“The only shots fired were from our team and the police held their fire when they laid their guns down. The people in side of the house had a good security system. Don’s whole team is alive and well, in FBI custody along with their equipment.” Ray hung up the phone violently kicking the desk several times. Toni his new secretary called on the intercom.
“Are you alright?”
Ray was still breathing heavily from his assault on the desk, “You could have come in and asked.”
Toni replied coldly, “Not after what happened to the last secretary.”
“That was a different boss.” Raymond switched off the intercom and called the equipment area.
“What the hell was in that van?”
“Ray, it was a sweeper van and would be holding a shit load of incriminating evidence.” Ray looked at the side of the desk. It was battered in. There was a knock at the door. Raymond composed him
self and opened it, but Toni did not enter.
“The Foreman is on the secure line he would like to speak to you.” Toni said retreating after she saw the side of the desk. Ray picked up the phone.
“This is Ray.”
“What in the hell is going on out there? I just got off the phone with the Director of the CIA and he tore me a new ass. The director of the FBI called him and accused him of running domestic sweeper teams. They were using FBI identities with the names of active agents. I have about two minutes before the FBI calls me so I am putting the time to good use by calling you. I need to have a good answer for him.”
“We had a lead and Don tried to break into the house to see if we could get anything. The police arrested Don and he used an FBI ID. Who the hell arrests the FBI?”
“The FBI does. That was the ID of an active agent. Is that all?”
“No Sam saw an opportunity to snatch our target and tried to redeem himself. He impersonated a UPS driver.”
“Did he get anything?”
“He got arrested. The FBI has his whole team and the sweeper van.”
“They didn’t try to use the FBI IDs did they?” Ray could tell that the Foreman was losing it.
Ray answered sheepishly, “No they found them in the van with several body bags, a shit load of fire power and three sets of IDs per man.”
“What about our lead?”
“It appears that he was not involved. He called the police and they arrested them instead of him shooting them.”
The Foreman started to scream in to the phone, “You do know this whole sweeper thing is supposed to be clandestine, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.”
“Well the only one that doesn’t know about it is my two-year-old and he is like you.”
Ray had to ask, “What do you mean?”
“He doesn’t understand shit. While we are on the subject I have some more bad news.”
“How bad could it be?”
“We heard from the ATF laboratory. The charge that killed Valery was ours.”
Ray could not believe his ears, “You mean that it was a government charge.”
The foreman was around the bend, “No it was from our group. There are specific chemical signatures mixed in with the charges so that we can tell who was issued the charges. The charge was issued to us. It had a coating that is painted on the charge. Our signature is all over the scene. I have the director of the FBI on my other line right now. Get this situation under control or I will have that last sweeper team clean you up out there.” Raymond kicked the front of his desk several times cursing as he did so. He pushed the intercom button six or seven times. Finally, he went to the outer office, finding an empty office.
Raymond stormed out into the main part of the building shouting her name. A technician finally came out to see what he wanted.
“Where the hell is my secretary?”
“She left in tears. Toni said that she quit. Right now I think that I will do the same. First there was Evan and now you! I am out of here too.” Things were disintegrating fast Raymond had to calm down.
“Hey I am sorry. This whole day has been a disaster. I would like to know where Evan’s car is.”
“The sweeper team took it for surveillance.” Raymond was fighting to keep control. He could not afford to lose any more help.
“When it comes back here pull all of the fuses and hide them in your tool box. I want to inspect it personally.” Ray walked into the control room. “Please call the team working the apartment and have them return at a nice safe pace.”
“What…?”
“Please be sure that you specify ‘a nice safe pace’.” The technician could not believe his ears.
“Are we calling off the surveillance?”
Ray wanted to be clear with the tech, “Yes, I want all personnel back here ASAP without exception.”
The Technician said, “I’ll make it my last official act. I quit!” Ray wanted to grab him, but realized that if he did everybody else would leave.
Agent Byrne was preparing to leave after a nasty day. Forensics called him up just as he stood up.
“I just heard from the ATF laboratory. They called with the explosive report on your other case. That was a government shape charge issued to the NSA.” Byrne wanted desperately to leave, so he thought that he would ruin the prisoners sleep too. Byrne went down to the city jail and went to Don’s cell.
“So you assholes are an NSA sweeper team. We just linked you to that church killing and the exploding van in Huntington Beach.”
“The van in Huntington Beach…!”
“It was blown by a shape charge that was issued to the NSA.” Byrne could see that Don was visibly shaken. It was time to press. “You and your three buddies are going to fry and no government hocus pocus is going to get you out of it. The weapons in the van were used to kill a choir director at a local church here and we found her blood all over the bumper of the van. You can’t run around killing our citizens and your own.”
“Bullshit, Valery was one of ours. We respected her.”
“The ATF confirmed that the charge was issued to the NSA. Why did you do it? Did she develop a conscience and offer to turn you in? I am sure that the choir director was a real threat to national security. She was a manager in a doctor’s office. I would like to give you some of your own medicine, but I want you to see that our legal system is still working.”
“Bullshit you’re playing me.” Don tried to compose himself.
“I will play you and everybody connected with this right into a cell on death row. Have a nice night.”
It was almost eight o’clock in LA and nearly mid-night in Washington. Agent Byrne called the duty desk and was relayed to the supervisor in charge.
“I have orders to report any developments to the director personally no matter what the time.” It took a half hour to get the Director.
“This is Agent Byrne I have some news that is not going to let you get back to sleep.”
“What is it?”
“The NSA was running a sweeper team out here. We have multiple murders and no end to the miscellaneous laws broken both Federal and local, including the murder of a federal agent. They were using false IDs from federal, state and local agencies using the name of active personnel. I need to move them to Federal High Security Facilities tonight and put them on suicide watch. I am going to move all available Agents here to the jail until we do the move.”
“I will make the calls.”
Byrne went to the lieutenant on duty. “I want these four prisoners moved into solitary confinement and put on suicide watch. I will be the only one that can authorize their movement.”
“That is a tall order at this time of night I don’t have the man power.”
“Call whoever you must, I want this done ASAP.
The new team leader Dillon was doing the first shift at the apartment when the call came in.
“Dillon this is an order from Raymond. He wants your team to return to the Farm. Drive safely but return at your best speed and bring Evan’s car.” Dillon wondered what the problem was. He called the others over and they proceeded to search the car. They opened the trunk finding the ordinance case. They opened the case and found one of the shape charges missing. It did not take an Einstein to know what the problem was. Evan had dropped the hammer on Valery. Things had gone terribly wrong this afternoon with Don’s team. It was not hard to figure out that they were next. Dillon came up with a plan. Each one of them had a personal run plan knowing what would happen if things went south.
The sun just cleared the horizon at the Amazon Inn. Layla and Edward woke up refreshed.
“Layla let’s see what is going on at the Farm. We didn’t keep our promise to Sarah. We need to see what’s up.” They slipped into the meditation mode. It was dark when they started their viewing. Layla and Edward started in from opposite sides. They were almost at the Farm when a car drove in the compound. Edward noticed a white van hold
short, staying back by the gate. The car drove into the chicken coop. Edward moved inside to see what was happening. He checked Ray’s desk and read the note on the desk. Miami Sweeper team move to cover Chalenger house. Next he went to the garage. A car pulled all the way down to Ray’s office. One of the occupants walked into the control room. The other person walked over to talk to Ray. The man went to the control room and straight up to the tech at the console. He struck the technician stabbing him in the throat and started to type in commands on the computer. After the commands were entered the man used the side door to exit directly outside from the control room. Dillon walked up to Ray there was a brief conversation. Ray directed the mechanic to the interior of the car. While he was supervising the mechanic Dillon walked out the side door. He ran to the white van which drove off quickly. He looked out the rear window when they were at the main road. He was waiting for the defense system to start working.
Edward watched Ray supervising the mechanic. The first of the claymore mines went off with a horrendous blast. They seemed to be working their way from the perimeter to the interior of the Farm. Ray sprinted for the stairs he was not sure what was happening but the exit seemed like a good place to be. He ran for the exit tunnel as the blasts seemed to be getting louder. He made it to the bottom of the stairs and through the door when all hell broke loose.
Dillon had primed all of the charges in the brief case. When the second ring of claymores fired off, he hit the detonator switch. The explosion was impressive. Valery was avenged when the building’s roof lifted up and the walls blew out. The roof fell into the interior and a fire started to rage. The security cell which was at the far end of the building had reinforced walls and with the narrow width it was knocked over as a complete unit except for the roof and Evan was thrown out like a rag doll unconscious, but not broken. In the escape tunnel the blast singed the hair off one side of Ray’s head with his face suffering minor burns. The blast actually saved his life. The last ring of Claymore mines detonated outside the exit of the escape tunnel and knocked the outer door half way down the tunnel. A few of the steel balls rolled within inches of his head before they stopped.