“If it’s there, I’ll get it.”
“What made you decide on this weekend, besides getting pushed by your buddies. I’m just curious.”
“Batiste is burying Dink on Saturday.”
“Nice,” Chuck said admiringly. “Recon while he’s burying Dink, and then tie up loose ends.”
“If I can find out what you need at his place, Batiste may have to go out with a simple big bang.”
“How’d you find out he’s burying Dink on Saturday?”
“I called his office down in Ensenada, and asked what time the ceremony would take place. His receptionist was quite helpful.”
Chuck nodded, and opened the door for Peace. “Get in touch with me when you get back. We’ll take a look at where we’re headed from here. Man, you’ll have a lot of explaining to do when your friends find out what you did.”
“Not if a few details fall into place. See you later, Chuck.”
Chuck watched Peace walk across the parking lot, wondering not for the first time if he would see him again. Chuck, whose real name was James Zillinger, shut the motel room door, and opened his laptop at the desk. Within moments, he was in direct contact with his supervisor. Using his encoding program, he updated the mission Peace was involved in. Next, he updated his agent in Ensenada, with a note the meeting place would be forth coming.
Peace drove away, after carefully removing his beard and wig. He looked at his watch, figuring he would have just enough time to make it back to Ed’s for his get together with the team for Tuesday night computer training. Peace still had a few days to prepare for Ensenada, and the fact he would be working with a familiar face eased the doubts he had been having. He stopped long enough at a gas station bathroom to change out of his suit, and pack it away with the rest of his disguise. Peace took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he massaged his neck. The stress of weeks tiptoeing from one complication to another had begun to wear on him, and only the thought of Jill meeting him at the door earlier erased the new mission dangers from his mind.
Chapter Twenty-One
Shootout
Peace walked inside the restaurant with his computer briefcase. He spotted the team at their usual table. Only two other tables had patrons, one with a young couple, and the other, a middle-aged man with three young children. Peace waved at Ed in the bar, who smiled and nodded.
Nancy met him as he walked over to the table.
“Hi Nancy, how’s things tonight?”
“Tuesday night slow,” Nancy answered. “You didn’t eat with the boys tonight. You feeling okay?”
“Yea, I just had some junk to clear up.”
“They’ve been asking about you. Want me to bring you anything?”
“Cup of coffee would be great,” Peace replied, trading bad attitude looks with Bull. “I can stay tonight if things pick up in the bar.”
“Good, I’ll bring your coffee and then let Ed know.” Nancy squeezed his arm affectionately before heading over to get his coffee.
“This late business is getting to be a habit with you, Petty Officer Peacenik,” Bull announced as Peace pulled a chair up to their table, between Bull and Doc.
“Sorry Bull, Holly wanted me to stop by her place on the way over, and you know, one thing led…”
Bull had him in a headlock instantly, while the rest of the team laughed in appreciation. “We don’t even joke about something like that, understand runt?”
“Hoo-ya!” Peace barked out.
“Let him up, Bull, you big bully,” Nancy laughed as she walked up with the coffee pot and Peace’s cup.
Bull let Peace go reluctantly. “Sorry, Nancy, I lost control over an ungentlemanly remark made by this uncouth midget.”
“That’s not what Holly said,” Peace retorted, turning his chair over, as he threw himself out of Bull’s reach.
Nancy put out one hand, and brought Bull to an instant halt as his teammates laughed. “Children, I must ask you both to behave.”
Dan found his voice finally, as he pulled on Bull’s arm. “Sit down, Chief, and finish your meal. You know better than to start trading with Petty Officer Peacenik.”
Bull was pointing a finger at Peace, around a laughing Nancy, and smiling grimly. “You know what they say about payback, now get over here and quit clowning around before I forget I’m a gentleman.”
Peace started to speak; but one look at Dan, who gave him the cut sign, and he picked up his chair with only a smile. “Yes, Chief.”
Peace exchanged pleasantries with the rest of the team, who were all in attendance. He greeted Tony Chin in Chinese, and followed it with an inquiry in the same language about Tony’s parents’ health. His sudden use of Chinese quieted the table. Chin stared at him for a moment in disbelief.
“Damn, Peace, that’s really good.”
“I’ve been working on it every chance I get,” Peace grinned, as he sipped his coffee, having been reminded by Chuck of this further bit of information, which needed airing gradually.
“What are you so interested in Chinese for, round eyes?” Chin asked, glaring at Peace, as the others laughed.
“They’re taking over the world. I just want to be ready.”
“Over my dead body,” Chin retorted, evoking a chorus of quiet Hoo-ya’s. “Anyhow, Peace, you’ll be native good if you keep it up. Have you tried writing at all?”
“Not much,” Peace lied. “I’ve tried, but I’m a long way off.”
“I’ll give you some exercises if you want,” Chin offered. “You’ve come this far, we might as well get you writing too.”
“Thanks, Tony,” Peace replied. “I appreciate it.”
“That should help you in your new secret agent gig,” Bull said.
Peace and the others laughed.
“Actually, Chief, I’m working on a Chinese version of the The Ballad of the Green Berets.” Peace immediately began singing it in Chinese, which had all of the Seal Team howling in laughter, including Bull.
“You’re going to have to stop pulling that out like a gun,” Bull said finally.
“Okay, the Chinese version will be my last,” Peace allowed. “Are you guys ready for some hacking?”
“We’re beat, Peace,” Tracer complained.
Peace grinned as he reached into his briefcase and took out five discs, handing them to the five members he usually met with. “I had a feeling you guys were going to say that. I made up some exercises for you to work on in the next week. I would like to see your work and hear any questions you might have next Tuesday. You can always ask me before then if there’s something you don’t understand.”
The look of relief on everyone’s face, including Dan, made Peace grin even more.
“So, you’ve taken up mind reading with all your other myriad talents, Peace?” Dan asked, smiling back.
Peace immediately put his fingers to the sides of his head and closed his eyes. “I see everyone leaving Bull with the check, and him pretending to be overjoyed about it, until he stiffs me with it.”
Peace opened his eyes, as the others laughed. “How’d I do?”
“Amazing, Peace,” JT said, scrambling to his feet, with the others right behind him. “Simply amazing. Bye.”
A minute later, Dan, Bull, and Peace were the only ones left at the table. Peace looked at Bull quizzically. “You’re still here?”
“That’s because I know how the story ends, thanks to you, Kreskin,” Bull replied, handing Peace the check.
“Yea, but you didn’t hear the last part of the prediction. In the last part, I say bite me.”
The three friends broke up laughing again, but Peace kept the check.
“You suddenly come into some money?” Dan asked.
“I’m going to play piano, and practice up for tomorrow night,” Peace explained. “Syl wants me to sit in with the band. “I’ll make tonight’s dinner money back in a half hour.”
“He will too, Lieutenant,” Bull affirmed. “I… hey…”
Dan and Peace
looked back to see what made Bull stumble. Bull shoved both men off their chairs to the floor, following them down, as automatic weapons fire turned their chairs and table into kindling. Two louder explosions ended the chattering noise from the automatic weapons. Ed had fired his double barrel shotgun into the attackers at the door, numbering three. Two were unmoving, but the third was only wounded, and turned his weapon towards the bar.
Dan and Bull were back on their feet, but Peace was already streaking across the room towards the last attacker. He slammed into him from the side, slapping the Uzi he carried up from its intended target. Dan, following close behind, tore the weapon from the man’s hands, while the man grappled with Peace on the floor. Bull kicked the man in the side of the head, like a field goal kicker teeing up on a football. There was a sickening snap, and the man twitched spasmodically in Peace’s arms. Bull and Peace went for the remaining weapons, and were in position to back Dan at the door, as he peered outwards towards the sidewalk.
Dan nodded at Peace, who had already checked his clip to make sure it still had bullets. Peace went out to the left of the doorway, low and fast. He scanned the street, and signaled Bull, who moved right. Bull positioned himself to cover the right, and signaled Dan. Ed had come up in full view of Dan, with his shotgun reloaded. As Ed covered their assailants, Dan ran straight across the street, where without night vision goggles, the Seals could not see clearly. He quickly cleared the area across the street, and then Dan turned to cover the rooftops of the buildings next to Ed’s. Bull and Peace quickly cleared the parked vehicles and alleyways around the restaurant before giving Dan the okay.
“The driver must have hauled ass,” Bull concluded.
“We could do a sweep up the street,” Dan said from across the street.
“I think we better get inside, and put these weapons down before the cops get here,” Peace suggested.
Dan jogged back across the street. “You’re right, Peace, let’s get inside.”
The three Seals retreated inside the restaurant, where Nancy was busy calming the few customers in the restaurant. They set the Uzi’s down near the door, after removing the clips, and clearing the chambers. Dan looked at Ed, but Polasky just shook his head. Polasky had put on gloves from the kitchen, and had searched the men for any identification. Finding none, he had put the gloves back behind the bar.
“They’re clean, Dan, not even money.”
“Everyone okay?” Peace asked, glancing towards Nancy, who nodded.
“Just shaken up,” Nancy replied. “I guess we’re a real Seal hangout now. We can even boast our own firefights. I’m glad that guy and his kids had left already.”
“Thanks, Bull, we’d be dead if not for you,” Dan said, clapping the big Seal on the back.
“We’d have still been dead if not for Quick Draw McGraw there in the bar,” Bull waved at Ed. “Nice shootin’ Tex.”
“Hard to miss with a double barrel twelve gauge,” Ed grinned. He had cleared the barrel of live shells he had reloaded it with, and laid it on the floor.
With the smell and haze of a gun battle still clearing to the ventilation system, the four men waited for the police to arrive in silence. Squad car after squad car roared up in front of the restaurant with lights and sirens blaring. The men inside put their hands behind their heads and waited in plain sight, while Nancy sat down with the couple who had been there through the whole ordeal.
Two hours later, the men had been taken downtown, and now sat in an interrogation room all too familiar to Peace. Detective Mobry walked in and pulled up a chair opposite the men at the table.
“You guys sure look familiar. Now where have I seen you four?” Mobry shook his head. “This is getting out of hand, folks.”
“Maybe we should have just let them kill us all,” Ed offered sarcastically.
“I didn’t mean it like that, Mr. Polasky,” Mobry sighed. “I’ve been over your statements. Your detailed description of what happened matches what the witnesses from the bar and restaurant stated. We’ve already sent out pictures of your three assailants to everyone, including Interpol. A ballistics test of the three weapons used may bring some more matches.”
Mobry turned to Peace. “You think this was Batiste?”
“I don’t know who else it could have been,” Peace answered truthfully. “I’m pretty certain I was the target, but I don’t know why.”
“He obviously thinks you had something to do with the killing of his son. I’m just glad we had Lewiston’s family covered. I’m doubling the detail protecting them.”
Peace nodded. “I think that’s a very good idea.”
“Can we go now?” Dan asked. “I have a wife and kids who are probably coming unglued.”
Mobry stood up, and opened the interrogation room door. “Go ahead. If I think of anything to ask, I’ll contact you at the base. I heard you refused police protection, Peacenik. As the probable target, don’t you think it would be wise to…”
“No,” Peace stated firmly as he followed his friends out. “I’ll keep my head down, and stay out of Ed’s restaurant before I get someone killed.”
Ed stopped so suddenly, Bull, who was behind him, ran into his back. “Oh no you don’t. You’re singing tomorrow. I have to recoup my losses from tonight. We’ll have a record crowd with all this publicity. I heard we all made the newscasts.”
“I’m afraid so,” Mobry admitted. “We’ll keep your restaurant under surveillance.”
“I’ll bring the team with me tomorrow night, Peace,” Bull promised. “Let them come. They won’t leave if they do. If we’re on all the news, you can bet the guys will be over at Ed’s tomorrow night no matter what any of us say.”
“Sorry, Chief Jenkins, but I can’t allow that,” Mobry inserted.
“You can’t stop us from going to Ed’s tomorrow night,” Bull replied. “We may not come with concealed weapons, but we’ll be a heck of a lot more effective than your cops.”
“I don’t like it,” Mobry added with a shake of his head. “The best thing would be to keep out of sight, Peacenik.”
“These guys saved my life tonight,” Peace offered, running a hand through his short-cropped hair. “If Ed wants me there, I’ll be there, and I’ll be there early, because I didn’t get to practice tonight. They won’t be back tomorrow night anyway. That’s why Ed might have the right idea about getting right back on the bike. The heat will be on Batiste, if you can find a connection between the shooters and him.”
“Peace’s right, Detective,” Dan added. “The safest place around will be Ed’s, although it wouldn’t hurt to have your guys do a run by regularly.”
“I’ll make sure they do. Mr. Polasky, we’ll try and have the forensics team out of your hair by tomorrow. Goodnight, and for God’s sakes, stay out of trouble.”
The four men laughed and continued out of the precinct building, not speaking until they reached Ed’s Chevrolet Suburban, minutes later. Mobry stared after them, shivering a little with a sudden chill unrelated to temperature. Three men were dead, who had tried to kill Peacenik, and their killers had just finished comparing notes about a singing engagement. Mobry shook his head, hoping ballistics would match the slugs from the recent gang killings, with the weapons handled by the now dead assailants from the restaurant.
“Well,” Dan said, as they all went about putting their seatbelts on, “that was a hell of a lot more exciting than computer class. What about it, Peace, when do we go?”
“I don’t know, Dan. I’m just starting to gather some of the plans we’ll need,” Peace answered. “We have to have first class intel, or else.”
Dan nodded in agreement. “You’re right. Running down there, and getting our asses shot off, or captured, won’t improve our situation. You really want this target singing in your place tomorrow night, Ed?”
“Hell yea,” Ed laughed. “He’s been setting money records lately. Bull can tell you. I have to pay for the furniture and interior those retards killed tonight.”
“Maybe I can talk Becky into a night out in the middle of the week,” Dan mused, as Polasky drove towards the restaurant, where the others’ cars were.
“It would be my treat, Dan, for all of you guys, and your dates,” Peace offered. “Dinner first, and then dancing, until a reasonable hour of course. What do you think, Ed?”
“Sounds good to me, but it will be my treat if you sing, and we have another record night.”
“I’m going up to LA this weekend to see Jill,” Peace threaded the first cover lie for the trip to Ensenada. “After that, I’ll sing on the weekends too as a special thank you for being like the Flash with that shotgun of yours. Champagne for Bull and Holly on me for the most satisfying human head field goal I can ever remember.”
The laughter echoed around the van for the next five minutes of the trip back to the restaurant.
Peace followed Ed and Nancy through the front door of their shared residence, after he and Polasky had examined the house and grounds, looking for any sign of entry. It was now nearly midnight. Ed had circled their block in both directions when they had first arrived, with Peace parking his old Ford up the street, and joining them in the Suburban with his night vision scope. After determining the area looked as clear as they were capable of checking, they entered the house still with some trepidation.
“We need a dog, Hon,” Ed told his wife. “If we’re going to keep living with 007 here, we need an early warning in addition to my alarm system.”
“I’ve always wanted one of those black labs we see now and then,” Nancy agreed, laughing as Peace hung his head, and dropped his arms limply at his sides in reaction to Polasky’s remark.
“Sorry about this, folks,” Peace said. “Do you think it would help if I got the heck out of here? I can live on base until this ends.”
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