The Gypsy Queen: A Matt Preston Novel (Matt Preston Series Book 3)

by Paul Shadinger

  “And are you happy you read it?”

  “Happy? No Matt, I wouldn’t use that word. Actually, like I said, I’m sick about what I learned. But I’m also a lot better prepared for what might happen in the future should any of that information get out. I will tell you I now have an armed guard standing at my door of my office at all times.”

  “Albert, you scare me. What do you want me to do?”

  “Give me some time to think about this. I have a very important committee meeting I have to attend and then I should have some time to look into this some more. Call me back in say, twelve hours.”

  We hung up and then I thought of Walter. I needed to warn him. I got a pen and paper and wrote two words on it, “Binh Long”. If anyone happened read it, the two words were meaningless. But to Walter, it was a book of information and memories. I mailed the letter to the little post office not too far from his cabin.

  Walter and I had been given an assignment in the Binh Long area and it was necessary to set up a temporary perimeter around ourselves. Lucky for us it turned out to be impenetrable. I knew Walter would understand my message, and be warned he needed to take precautions. I felt better. I knew he would be prepared. I just wished it was that easy for me.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Exactly twelve hours later I called Albert back and when he answered I started our conversation with, “It’s me.”

  There were no pleasantries on his end either. “I spoke to an old friend of yours. He isn’t a peach, but he might be a fruit. I thought he could help you the most.” I knew he meant Johnny Apple. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought to call him. I must have been more upset at events than I thought. “He said to tell you everything is being done to correct your situation. He also said for you to still be very careful. Some people might not have gotten the word.”

  “Understood.”

  Just as I was about to hang up I heard Albert call out, “Are you still there?”

  “Yes!”

  “I had someone from my office check on the last item we thought we had in safe keeping…”

  I knew I didn’t like where this was going, “And?”

  “I now seem to be in possession of a lot of blank papers instead. To say I’m pissed as hell is a total understatement. I’ll find out who authorized the break in and I’ll have somebody’s cojones hanging from my wall very soon!”

  “My suggestion is to take a long look at a General MacDonald. C.V. MacDonald. And good luck. Thanks.” I didn’t have the heart to tell him if CV was in any way behind the break in, Albert would never learn who did it or who authorized it. As they say, been there, done that and I do have a t-shirt, or at least a tattoo to prove it.

  “Take care my friend. I’d hate to lose you.”

  “The same to you, Albert.”

  We rang off and I decided I’d had enough fun for one day. I really wanted to see Gladys but I was concerned I might accidentally get her involved in this mess. I was better off keeping to myself. I got Bean and we went for her outing. While I was waiting for Bean to get her little butt in gear, I called Sharon. We had traded dog-sitting services off and on without much warning so I wasn’t too worried about asking her to watch Beanie. Whatever was going on, the call went straight to her voicemail.

  “Hey you, I need a favor. I have to meet somebody and it involves a plane ride. I really have no idea how long it is long it’s going to take. Would you mind terribly coming and picking up Bean and watching her for a while? I’ll give you a call along the way and let you know what’s going on. I’m sorry to dump this on you with so little warning. Thank you.”

  When we got back from our walk I had received a text from Johnny A’s office. “Boeing Field. Two hours.” I checked the time stamp on the message. I’d received the message about an hour and a half ago. It was time to go.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Orchard’s plane came down the tarmac and again only one engine was shut down when it came to a stop. As soon as the door was open I was heading for the steps. Lois smiled at me as I came up the stairs. “Hello, Lois.”

  “Mr. Preston, the Admiral is waiting,” she said.

  “Come on, don’t you think we know each other well enough now? How about Matt?”

  Lois smiled. “I forgot, you’re gay and I don’t have to worry. Okay Matt, the Admiral is still waiting for you.” We both laughed.

  “You’re not going to let me live that down are you?”

  “No way, baby doll. I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.” Lois winked and I shook my head. As I walked past her getting into the plane she pinched me on the butt. I guess our make out session at the old deserted fort was better than I thought.

  As I made my way back to John’s chair I was shocked at his appearance. He looked haggard and drawn and I noticed his clothing was wrinkled. I slipped into the chair across from him and as I secured my seatbelt I asked, “What’s wrong my friend? You look awful.”

  He gave me a quick grimace and said, “Thanks. You’re not exactly a spring chicken yourself. Matt, you have no idea what’s going on.”

  “I think it’s about time to tell me. Tell me everything that’s going on.”

  He motioned for his assistant to come over. Even though the jet was moving down the airstrip, she came and leaned over towards him. “Lois, please bring us each a drink.”

  She never asked me what I wanted, or how I wanted it, but by the time the plane was airborne, I had a drink in my hand and from the color of it, I could see it was going to be a strong one. John held up his glass to me, and took a big sip. I did the same and I was right, it was strong.

  I leaned back and waited for John to get ready to tell me whatever was so important he had to fly across the country. Finally, he said, “I owe you a profound apology. I’ve gotten you involved in something and it just might get you killed. I feel really bad about this.”

  “Johnny Apple.” I waited for him to look at me. Finally, I spoke his name again and he looked at me.

  He had a little grin as he muttered, “Don’t call me Apple.” If he still had that much of his humor left, I thought things just might work out.

  “I think this time you need to tell me everything. What’s going on?” I leaned back.

  “Oh fuck, I don’t even know where to start. This has gotten so out of hand.”

  “Can you just start talking and I’ll ask questions about the parts I don’t understand?”

  “Okay. The woman I asked you to look for, the Gypsy Queen…”

  “Go on.”

  “I know you’re aware of most of this, but General MacDonald and some others have gotten together with other like-minded military and civilian personnel and they assembled a super-secret group of computer people to create a program which is supposed to make it impossible for any computer in the world to launch a first strike attack that might cause any sort of mass causalities.”

  “You’ve told me all this! The fellow who asked me to find Melissa has written a game he wants to launch. He told me he had discussed the game with Melissa and was surprised how many great ideas she had about it. As they talked about it and she told Ralph what she was working on, they both realized what her program was going to do. We’ve been over that. What’s the problem?”

  “All of CV’s code writers have dropped off the grid. We can’t find any of them. Right now, we fear the worst. If Ilox will tell you where to find Melissa, we’re hoping she has an idea where they might be. It seems that between CV and Jack Roberts, they’re being held in some secret location.”

  “I’m supposed to hear from Ilox any time now.”

  “I also understand you met a fellow spook on a ferry not too long ago.”

  “Yeah, and I also saw him killed.”

  “I knew about that. I feel bad about the way it happened. After he warned you and all.”

  “Did you also kno
w MacDonald has put out a contract on me?”

  John looked grim. “Yes. And it’s all my fault. I asked you to look for the Herman woman.”

  “No Apple, you’re far from the reason this is happening.”

  “Don’t call me Apple! And what the hell do you mean it isn’t my fault?”

  I sighed. “If I blamed anybody it would be Ralph. The dude who slept with Melissa and asked me to find her for him. I’ve kind of found out he wasn’t completely up front about things. It would appear the two of them had already figured out what she was working on, but neither of them were willing to admit it. When they parted, she ran. He went back to getting his game software done and ready for release. For several reasons, he both wanted and needed to see her and he asked me to look for her. He just didn’t tell me all he knew.”

  Orchard started to speak and I held up my hand.

  “That’s just part of the problem. You know I found a diary up on Ross Island?” John agreed. “I haven’t read it, but a friend of mine has. Albert Bradson.”

  John whispered, “Oh God, you mean the new senator from Washington?”

  “The same.”

  “And?”

  “MacDonald has always suspected I read the damn thing. Now Albert tells me there’s no way I want to read it. He says he’s frightened by everything he learned. He won’t tell me a thing about what’s in it, but he said he knows a lot about things MacDonald did back in country. Senator Bradson is so concerned for his well-being he now has an armed guard stationed outside of his office. Besides that, ol’ CV has not only put out a hit on me, and Melissa, but for Albert as well and maybe Ralph and… I believe he has issued a contract for you.”

  “WHAT?” John shouted so loud that Lois stuck her head out from the front of the plane.

  “Come on, you know the man. Considering where things are at, do you really think he’s going to look the other way? Don’t you think he’s going to try and find a way to shut you up? He’s in such deep shit he doesn’t care who he has killed. John, as far as he is concerned, you’re expendable. His ass is the most important thing going. And I am willing to bet that as soon as Silent Sentinel is live, Roberts is also extra weight MacDonald is going to get rid of. If you think this all through, I doubt if the people who worked on the project are going to be around much longer either, if they’re even still alive.”

  John took a deep breath and asked, “You said at one time you thought you could do the hit? Do you really think you can go through with it?”

  And that was the million-dollar question. Could I? Both of us knew MacDonald was a loose cannon. Somehow, he needed to be reined in. “There’s no way anybody can just capture him and lock him away?”

  “Too dangerous. He knows too much about too many things and there’s no way to keep him isolated without any danger of his information getting out. I never thought I would say something like this, but he needs to be liquidated. And the body needs to disappear. If it’s downright murder, there can be no trace of him or what happens to him.”

  “That’s a tall order, my friend.”

  “Tell me about it.” His laugh was a snort. “So, it comes down to this. I trust you. I know I can ask you to do the hit and never have to worry about you telling a soul, I know it will never come back and bite me on the butt. I know you’ll do your best to resolve the issue just as we have discussed.

  “But, I can’t ask you to do it. It just isn’t fair to ask something like this of you. Your time is over. You served your country and I have no right to even think about asking you to do it, let alone actually ask. Matt, say the word and I’ll take you back to Seattle and this is all over.”

  I cut in, “Bullshit, Apple. That’s the dumbest thing you ever said. If you take me back to Seattle and I don’t do something, it’s far from over. Drop me off back home and MacDonald will still be after me, and you, and how many others? We both agree MacDonald has to be removed. He has to be stopped!” I could hear myself saying the words, but I had to wonder if my mouth wasn’t writing checks my body might not be able to cash.

  Johnny leaned forward, and I put my hand on top of his. “John, I understand why he can’t be allowed to speak to anybody, ever. I understand why you can’t order anyone to do this. Actually, we both understand. If somehow you could order this done, anybody but me would demand a signed order in their hands before they pulled that trigger. We both know that for fact. Call it cover your ass! People just don’t go around taking people out. Well, normal people. Fuck dude, it even sounds weird to say it out loud. ‘Take somebody out!’ But who else do you have to do it? YOU?” Johnny A looked stunned. “Your face just answered my question. You have to distance yourself as far away from this as you can. Too many people already know about the issues between the two of you. Once I take him out, you know people will be looking at you and you need to make sure you’re lily white.”

  John started in, “I’ll get an untraceable weapon for you.”

  I interrupted, “Let me take care of that, please.” His eyebrows raised in surprise. “Just help me find out where I can get him alone long enough to do the deed.” I heard myself saying the words, but somewhere inside I still wondered. Was this still me?

  “Okay, then. I’ll find out his schedule and you can decide when and where. I don’t want to know anything. Plausible deniability. We’ll use Lois as our go-between. I trust her just as much as I trust you.”

  “Then it’s a done deal. I’ll make the hit on MacDonald.” I couldn’t believe I’d just said that. But I had to do it. I mean, he was already after me. “Take me back to the airfield. I need to check on Melissa and Ilox.”

  I felt the plane bank as we headed back to Seattle. I couldn’t help but think I’d just made a decision that might come back and bite me someday. But right now, I didn’t see any other options. Doing CV saved Johnny, Melissa, Ralph, perhaps Jack Roberts, and best of all, my little ass. Yes, it had to be done!

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  When I left the service, I swore I would never end up again in some concealed position out in the bush for hours on end. Even though it requires an endurance that I don’t have much of anymore, I thought I could still do it. Now that I was a good twelve hours into my stakeout, I was discovering how wrong I’d been. It wouldn’t have been so bad if I didn’t have to deal with my mental debate of whether or not I could pull the trigger. But on top of the debate raging in my head, I was sore and stiff, my body hurt, my leg was on fire from the long hike in and I wanted to quit. But another skill I had learned a long time ago was not to quit!

  But this was different. I was lying concealed in a remote area of the Idaho panhandle for just one purpose, to murder MacDonald. Pull the trigger in cold blood. Was this who I really was? This was not some spur of the moment thing. There really was no other way to put it. Yes, he was after me. Yes, he had put out a hit order on me. Yes, he was after Melissa. Yes, I had heard he either had, or was going to put out a hit on Orchard and somewhere in there was Albert Bradson too. As far as kill or be killed, in a way, what I was about to do met that criteria.

  But it still felt like flat out cold-blooded murder.

  Before I’d come out to this desolate place, I had visited Mouse and asked if I could borrow something from his armory. He was delighted to be able to help. When Mouse had outfitted Sakol and me with what I called the magic pistols, I’d seen a rifle that was self-camouflaging. When you were in the brush, the rifle had the ability to change and blend in with the surrounding area. I was positive as long as I stayed under cover, I was not going to be spotted.

  Laying concealed under the brush and bushes with my mind in turmoil, finally I heard the woomp, woomp, woomp of a helicopter coming in from the southwest. It appeared as if Johnny A’s information had been correct. MacDonald was actually coming in for a clandestine meeting at this remote site.

  In a short while, the bird was close enough for me to see. Eventual
ly it would be coming in for a landing and once on the ground, I would have to take my shot. As they say, it’s show time. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and I tried to quiet my nerves. It had been a long time since I had done something like this.

  I carefully watched the bird, trying to spot where the passengers inside would be located. When the helicopter was about twenty feet from the ground it started to rotate for the landing. I watched the dust storm from the blades start to rise, and the bird began to settle. Suddenly a ball of fire erupted from inside the helicopter and then totally encircled the plane. A split second later I felt the impact of the explosion hit my body, followed by a wave of heat moving over me. I saw burning pieces flying everywhere while the carcass of the fuselage went spinning downwards. When the flaming remains hit the ground, what was left exploded again.

  I was stunned by what I had just watched. It looked like somebody had beat me to it! But I had to admit, I was also relieved. I didn’t have to find out if I actually could pull the trigger in cold blood. Somebody had planted a bomb in the helicopter and what was left of MacDonald was now a charred corpse wrapped inside of a twisted hunk of metal.

  When I was recovered enough, I slipped away from my hiding place and started the long hike back to my vehicle. I was so euphoric I didn’t have to go through with the hit the hike back seemed to take just minutes. But I knew better and when I arrived at my rig and I started driving out of the hills. My leg was now on fire and I had to fight to stay alert.

  I watched my cell and as soon as I had enough bars, I immediately called John. He recognized my number. He started off the conversation with, “Did you have to do it?”

  “No! Somebody beat me to it.”

  “Exactly what the hell does that mean?” he snapped back.

  “It means somebody planted a bomb in his bird, and just as it was landing, it went off. I feel really sorry for the pilot.”

  “Don’t worry about that. MacDonald flew his own bird. He was the only one onboard.”