“After all this, I am thinking of joining the walk to school with you and Payaso.”
“Good idea, Kabong. With the walk already part of your daily routine, the lovely Cala will have to accept it.”
“Sorry, Muerto. Once I am with the lovely Cala in matrimony, I will blow you two off on mornings in a heartbeat.”
* * *
At the rented mansion in Seattle once again after making sure his bags were inside, Nick turned to shake hands with Clyde Bacall. “Thanks for everything, Clyde.”
“Anytime, Nick. With what you’re paying me, I’ll steal a jet to take you anywhere you want to go.”
“Not necessary, my friend. We have to keep your boss in power though. These next couple of weeks will be crucial. Give me a call if you notice anything I can help with. I need Paul in power at the Company.”
“He’s the best. I will call you if I see a problem fixable with murder and mayhem.”
Nick smiled. “I see you haven’t lost your edge.”
“Not hardly, but I know where the boundaries are, and one of them is never, ever crossing you or this dog.” Clyde gave the prancing Deke a roughing up.
“That is a good rule to live by. Keep me in mind seriously if you do notice anything I can help with.”
“I will, Nick. Mr. Gilbrech knows everything there is to know about the ins and outs of DC politics. We’ll stay tuned into even the slightest negative coming out of all this. It had to be done. Your results prove it. I’ll be in touch. See you next time.”
Clyde exchanged goodbyes with the rest of the Unholy Trio on the way out. It being late Thursday morning, Rachel, Tina, Jean, and Cala joined the trio in full dress. Rachel carried Quinn on her arm.
“We’re ready to leave, Nick. Seattle is beginning to get on our last nerve,” Rachel said. “Clyde sounded happy. Your business is finished. I know that because half of Ohio is in ruins.”
“You must have tuned into a bad media outlet,” Nick said, taking Quinn from his Mom. “We actually saved the Buckeye State, but we had to do it in secret. There were many casualties amongst the bad guys. Please tell me you haven’t packed the Bushmill’s yet. There wasn’t any drinking on the flight. My associates and I are in need of sipping whiskey before the long drive.”
“I figured as much. C’mon in the kitchen, and I’ll pour you guys some ‘I save the world every day’ liquor.”
“Can you tell us about it, Dad?”
“Remember our talk on plausible deniability?” Nick put his arm around Jean as he followed Rachel into the kitchen while juggling Quinn.
“Yeah… I thought maybe you could give us a short version. You know… just the blood and guts.”
“Jean!” Rachel spun on Jean who immediately ducked behind Nick. “I swear. Go wash your mouth out with soap, Daughter of Darkness!”
Jean giggled. “No one does that anymore. This op starred The Unholy Trio. That means it will be on YouTube soon anyway.”
“Here’s the Reader’s Digest version.” Nick accepted his drink while Gus and John awaited theirs. “Bad Isis Muslim fanatics, that don’t exist according to the government pinheads, planned to kill a lot of people in Ohio. We stopped them in a very messy and loud way. We were making a statement. Now, we’re looking forward to down time. We luckily don’t have to worry about cover for our actions. As John pointed out though, it would be a good thing to be on the road when all hell breaks loose.”
Cala took John’s hand. “I feared the worst, John. Three against so many was unthinkable. The news believes there may be twenty bodies or more.”
John hugged her. “I could not be waylaid from a more important task.”
John released her, knelt and held the ring he clutched nearly the entire return trip, bought from Saul’s jewelry shop. “Will you marry me, my love?”
“Yes!” Cala enveloped John in a no holds barred passionate kiss. So surprised was John as Cala’s entire body wrapped around his kneeling form, he dropped the ring. An amused Gus snatched it from the floor as the curious Deke gave it a snort while pushing the ring with his nose.
Rachel covered Jean’s eyes. “Hey, you two, calm those waters a bit.”
Jean twisted away with a giggle. She tugged Deke away from his sniffing inspection of the engaged couple. John straightened, taking Cala with him. Only then did she slide away from her mate, and allow John to frame her face for a moment before taking the proffered engagement ring from Gus. He slid the ring on her finger.
“We’ll have a proper engagement party in Pacific Grove,” Nick said. “Gus and I wondered if John would ask or not. So ends one more bit of happy drama. Any word from the killer Kaders while we were gone?”
Cala kept an arm around John but turned toward Nick. “Dimah called. She said they were getting threatening phone calls warning of doom if they proceed with the wedding. Bill changed all their numbers, but within a day, the calls began again.”
“That widens the net,” Nick observed while sipping his Bushmill’s. “Someone with access to their account information gathered the new numbers the moment Bill changed them. I guess we’ll look into the mystery when we get home. It was too good to be true they would see the deadly handwriting on the wall with their other relatives. I’ll try the bribe first when we get home. Obviously, the two survivors from our earlier Kader clash went home and spread the wrong word. Four burning dead relatives just doesn’t mean as much as it once did.”
“You really are serious about bribing the Kader family,” Rachel asked, somewhat in shock. “I thought that was a joke when I heard you guys mention it a few times.”
“It can’t hurt,” Nick pointed out. “If they listen to reason and money, Fontaine will have the good sense to back off because he won’t have a whole family of crazies between him and the deed. We won’t be any worse off than now with the possibility of continued threats and harassment. It will draw the whole thing out into the open too.”
“You’re always talking about unintended consequences,” Rachel replied. “I’m not a writer and I can foresee at least a dozen, including car bombs and IED’s.”
“I concede the point Rachel makes, but it is an alternative with some chance of success,” John said. “I do not wish our Pacific Grove home to become an ongoing battleground like the ‘Jeremiah Johnson’ movie where Indians try to kill him everywhere.”
“When did you watch that old Robert Redford movie,” Tina asked.
“It was in a DVD collection they had on the plane coming back from Cincinnati Clyde gave me to watch. It was very entertaining. It also speaks well of killing enemies one at a time until they stop, but as another mountain man warned Jeremiah, they could come all at once.”
“I am very certain my grand bribe idea will be met with widespread happiness by the Kader clan,” Nick announced while draining the rest of his drink.
* * *
“You are insane! What right have you to present such a blasphemous deal?”
Nick shook his head, watching out the window of his balcony he arranged a meeting at with three of the Kader family elders. He took a deep breath while observing his companions Gus and John trying not to laugh out loud.
“Surely you do not wish for this very strange tactic of yours to go on,” Nick continued in Arabic. “Dimah and Cala have moved from your family nest and now make their own way. They will marry their true loves and all will be well. I merely am providing a generous dowry to make everything proceed more smoothly. I know for a fact Fontaine only offered a hundred thousand dollars plus unnamed consideration for your family. I am offering five million dollars. In return I ask only that you and your family leave my friends alone for all time.”
The speaking elder, Jacob Kader, spat on the table in disgust, his face in a state of wide eyed fury as he tore at his beard. “I will see you dead before such a deal is allowed!”
“Calm yourself, brother,” the elder next to Jacob, named Ishmael urged. “It is a worthy offer we need to contemplate and discuss with the others.
Nick watched the two closely. The third Kader elder was an ancient with very lively and evil looking black marble type eyes. He had stared at Nick every moment without even glancing at anyone else. Ishmael introduced him as Mohammed Kader, who had flown in from New York. Nick smiled at him after no one else said anything.
Mohammed spoke, his face wrinkling with disgust. His voice sounded to Nick like rocks in a blender with the volume turned down. “You think to buy off everyone. We know you have killed our family members. We shall have your blood, and that of all whom you love.”
“Uh oh,” Gus muttered under his breath. He watched his old friend’s smile disappear to be replaced by the Terminator visage. John turned away from the ancient elder, knowing he had asked for and would be granted death.
“Listen carefully, Yoda,” Nick said. “You speak as if you know me or of me, yet you are ignorant enough to threaten my loved ones. I believe we have spoken enough for today, Ishmael. Take my offer to whomever you represent. You have my number.”
Jacob Kader began to make as if he were about to spit again. Nick’s hand streaked across the table, grabbing the man’s nose in a vicelike grip, shaking it as Jacob’s hands seized Nick’s ineffectively, his shoulders hunching in pain. Ishmael started to reach for Nick’s arm, but one look at the Terminator’s cold appraising eyes as he continued to shake Jacob easily, and Ishmael made placating gestures.
“You spit one more time, asshole, and I’ll yank this off and shove it down your throat!” Nick grinned suddenly at Ishmael as a predator apprises its next prey. “Is this the only way your family knows how to negotiate?”
“Please, Mr. McCarty… let him go. We will leave now and I promise to take your offer to the other members of our family. The majority wish to end these confrontations with you. It is only the Omar Fontaine interest in Cala, coupled with Cala’s Father already signing her over to him that makes this extremely difficult.”
Nick released Jacob and wiped his hand distastefully on the man’s kufi head covering. “You should have brought two more polite family members with you, Ish. Go now. Say your evening prayers with passion tonight, Yoda.”
Gus and John then stood to escort Ishmael, the chastised Jacob still holding his nose, and a now wide eyed Mohammed, nicknamed Yoda. They could tell if Mohammed could have unsaid his words, he would have done so. It seemed the old man recognized death when he met it face to face. As Gus and John guided the trio off the balcony, Nick stood.
“Don’t forget that anything other than a peaceful, well compensated agreement will be met with a deadly solemn response, Ish.”
Ishmael glanced over his shoulder at Nick. “I…I will tell them, Sir.”
Nick turned to his view of the ocean. Although overcast, Nick watched the whitecaps in the distance with fondness. Best go home, have a good meal, and get ready to join Darth and Obi-wan, Yoda. I will teach you your final lesson the family neglected to warn you about – it is best if you are old and stupid to also be old and silent.
Gus and John joined him a few moments later with fresh coffee. Nick retrieved the bottle of Bushmill’s from the balcony bar. Seeing his companions had left room in the coffee cups, Nick filled the intervening cup space with Irish whiskey.
“The great negotiator strikes again,” Gus said.
“I’ll drive,” John volunteered. “It was very odd for the old one to embrace death with such stupidity. You would think when one survives to reach his age that person would be more selective in speech. I admit having one or two old idiots in my family too. They survive by the grace of Allah and the suffering endured by the people around them.”
“A sane person wishes to grow old, die gracefully, and be remembered fondly,” Nick replied. “You can rest assured everyone Yoda leaves alone for a moment prays never to be near the bastard again. Now I’m glad I shadowed them from the airport when they went to meet the old zombie. This will be a gentle reminder of what can happen to each and every one of them. Although my guilt will be suspected, they won’t have a shard of evidence. Besides, they’ll be so glad he’s dead, it will overcome their curiosity. I wish I could chance doing Jacob too, the prick. He spit on my table. I should have ripped his tongue out.”
“It is amazing,” Gus agreed. “They suspect you in all the mysterious deaths in their family where members have violently crossed your path. Yet the Jacob imbecile comes into your home as a guest, spits on your table, and his companion, the zombie threatens your family. Good Lord, I’m not sure you wouldn’t be doing the world a favor by making the male Kaders extinct. Maybe the change in name would help the intelligence level.”
“Ish seems reasonable,” Nick said. “At least I saw his eyes brighten when I mentioned the amount. We’ll see how they react to my offer and Jacob nose adjustment after Yoda quits exhaling forever. I bet the old zombie hates the thought of death. He knows there aren’t any virgins waiting for him across the great divide. Man, the Irish sure tastes good after that encounter. It’s a good thing you and Cala aren’t real nostalgic about family ties, John. It seems you two will have to settle for El Muerto, Payaso, and our extended family as your own.”
“It is better than I have had. We will also have Bill and Dimah. I like Bill. He seemed a bit wary around you, Muerto. Do you think Dimah shared some added suspicions about your secret identity?”
“Probably. Bill is careful. I like that. He’s a Marine thinking of making the Corps a career. Bill would not want more than a passing friendly relationship with my ‘Addams Family’ as Tina likes to call us. Down to business.” Nick poured a bit more Irish in each empty coffee cup. “Yoda of course goes first. I don’t know what kind of influence he has but it will be ending tonight. If they were wily and smart, the Kaders would bundle him off immediately to a safe-house in the East. Then, we’ll await word from Ish. If they refuse my offer, I’ll do Jacob next on the spot. If they accept my offer, I’ll wait a month before I relieve the world of the ‘Spitter’.”
“On a lighter note, Cala was very convincing in handling your ‘Wedding Planner’ suggestion,” John remarked. “It will be a beautiful double wedding, complete with a Marine detachment as honor guard. Dimah may have been a bit doubtful at first, but Cala explained how much easier this will be without the added worries. I am indeed fortunate to be marrying a woman with common sense.”
“It’s very comforting when they act all warm and pliable before the marriage,” Gus replied. “Nick is the only one I’ve seen who continued his wayward ways after his vows. You know of him duct taping Rachel into the bed every morning, and then switching to Jello in her slippers. Even he capitulated to married harmony of doing exactly as she ordered, granting her every wish and command.”
“I would like to interject some truth here. Rachel became pregnant with Quinn. I couldn’t very well keep duct taping her into bed or adding something cool to her slippers. John will find a balance between my somewhat twisted humor and your complete degradation into Tina’s lapdog.”
“Yes, Payaso, it was just so. It hurt us to watch you prostrate yourself before the Tyrannosaurus Tina Rex when we arrived at the mansion after laying waste to a small section of Lebanon, Ohio. It is very annoying listening as you describe yourself to be the font of all marriage knowledge and a road map to marital bliss. At best you’re a road bump on the gravel outback of having no clue in marriage but to obey.”
When Rachel walked in, the Unholy Trio were vocally enjoying John’s dressing down of Gus’s perceived enslavement by Tina. “I’m glad those idiots are gone. Which of them dies first, Muerto? Tina picked the one holding on to his nose. I like the walking dead guy with the beady black marbles for eyes. He was brown skinned when he entered and white skinned when he left. What did he do to get the look of death about him?”
“He claimed everything I loved was as good as dead.”
Rachel began laughing in appreciation, triggering humorous reactions from the Unholy Trio. She came over to pat John on the shoulders. “If these death wors
hippers don’t stop soon, your in-law list will be limited only to burka wearers.”
“We did meet one, who was reasonable either because of the money, or he was getting the message all was not well in the land of honor killings,” Nick said.
“What were you guys laughing at?”
“The usual,” John replied. “Gus talking about being the alpha dog in his household.”
“Aww… that’s so cute. What in the world ever gave you that idea, Gus?”
“I did say I compromise on many things to avoid useless confrontations,” Gus said. “I was merely pointing out the dos and don’ts in a happy marriage.”
“One key ingredient is avoid bonding with duct tape and Jello,” Rachel said. “You two are perfect for each other. Don’t change anything. Keep showing Cala the love and attention you have been showing her. Not to change from a romantic topic to a deadly one, but can we expect an attack tonight?”
“No, although I will have to go out for a while on ‘Addam’s Family’ business. Have you figured out a way to collect on your bet with Tina?”
“I was thinking of sending alpha dog down to collect for me.”
“In other words you’re forgiving the debt?”
“Exactly, John.”
Chapter Six
Political Impropriety
At 2 am, Mohammad Kader awoke in a sweat. He sat shakily upright in the bed feeling as if his blood wanted to burst out of the veins carrying it. A shadow detached itself from the wall near by the bed. In the next instant the barrel of a gun pointed upwards from under his chin, forced him against the headboard.
“Hello there, Mohammad,” a familiar voice greeted him in a soft dulcet tone. “We didn’t have a very good meeting last night, so I thought I’d come over to explain my position to you this morning real early before anyone was up. You were quite rude and threatening. I’m certain after our talk this morning you will be very pleasing and polite.”
Nightmare in Red Page 12