“If you bring down Rackson-Gree, your visit to DC will be legendary in secret circles,” Clyde added. “It’s hard even putting into words how valuable these missions are.”
Nick smiled. “Wait until you see the booty I looted on this trip. You two will be set for life. In addition, our special ops groups can buy anything we want. Breech made us capable of getting a network started outside the box no one has ever dared dream of, with caretakers so dangerous, misuse will be a death sentence. I plan to lure the two staffers away from the darkness. It’s my kind of outfit, my friends.”
“We heard rumors since the Sterling Heights incident that Rackson-Gree can’t think straight. Gree is forgetting at times where she’s had to speak, what day it was, and even what the hell she was supposed to be talking about,” Paul stated. “Her enabler network is dead.”
Nick finished his drink and stood. “As always, my friends, it has been a pleasure working with people who want the same thing I do. I’ve already contacted Sam and Janie, the FBI contacts in the know about us, meaning Harding’s crew and mine. They finished filming an FBI transfer of Audrey Lantos into federal custody with Director Lynn Dostienne and my Johnny and Cala Groves. It’s a winner. Sam and Janie will be here tomorrow to go with me to pluck Gree, hopefully with Eric and Pam signed into a deal.”
“Incredible,” Paul replied. “Go on. I can tell on your face, you’re anxious to get it done. Thanks for stopping here first. I haven’t slept since you left for Michigan.”
“I slept like a baby,” Nick replied at the door. “El Muerto… away!”
“I’ll bet you did, you cartoon freak,” Paul muttered to Clyde’s amusement.
* * *
After a brief nap, Nick took a shower. While he shaved, someone knocked on his door. He grinned. The staffers must know he’s in DC again. He put on a robe and peered through the spyhole on the door. Nick gasped in surprise. He flung open the door and gathered Rachel in his arms.
“I’m not done yet, babe.”
“I don’t care. I’ve had a migraine for days. You are my cure. Let’s strip down and get rid of my headache before we talk about my transgressions.”
Nick eased away, gesturing toward the bedroom. “Right this way, my lady.”
In the bedroom, Nick helped Rachel get her clothes off. With her sitting on the bed between his legs, Nick used lotion to massage her shoulders, before working his thumbs into what he thought of as calcium clots at the base of her skull, while his fingers held steady at her temples. Rachel groaned.
“Yes… right there, Nick! Oh God… I feel the lifting of it!”
“Which lifting.”
Rachel giggled. “Never mind the intruder. Keep working the magic with your thumbs.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Nick alternated between the thumb pressure breaking up the nodules to shoulder and spine massaging. On his second time slowly down Rachel’s spine, she broke away from him, turning full length atop Nick’s ready embrace.
* * *
“You understand you can’t interfere with this or deflect the conversation, right?” Nick, dressed again in his actual Major’s uniform with McCarty on the nametag, and green beret in place, lifted his hand to knock on Eric’s door.
Rachel gripped the hand reaching with both hers. Dressed in a black one shoulder evening dress, ending at midthigh, Rachel looked ravishing “Listen to me closely, Muerto. If I don’t get you home soon, I will be guilty of matricide. Viper is driving me insane.”
“I’m glad Johnny and Cala returned in time to watch the homestead. Follow my lead and we’ll be home in no time.” Nick knocked and Pam answered the door, betraying her surprise at Rachel’s appearance.
“This is my wife Rachel McCarty. Let’s go inside, Pam. I could use a cold beer. I’ll explain everything to you and Eric then.”
“Uh… okay.” Pam failed to suppress her panic as she led the way inside to the bar. Her features wiped the smile of greeting from Eric’s face.
Nick shook hands with Eric and introduced Rachel. He showed them his US Marshal’s ID. “I’m United States Marshal Nick McCarty. I am, in truth, a major in the army reserve, serving at the whim of the CIA Director as a consultant, but also with Delta Force. We have broken Rackson-Gree’s network of spies and terrorists. We have incontrovertible proof of her involvement, as well as you and Eric’s.”
Pam lost any façade of resistance in an instant. She turned away, sobbing, hands over face. “I…I knew it! Ray Worthum… and… and Breech… both dead. Were they executed?”
“Those deaths are under investigation,” Nick spoke truthfully, as Rachel held on for dear life from smiling.
Eric took a deep breath. “What is it you want from us.”
“I have a deal for you both. It involves making statements and if necessary, testifying against your boss.” Nick retrieved the satellite laptop he carried in his bag. In moments, he took the staffers through the interconnecting threads winding around their necks. “I’m not here to dance with you. I’m giving you the opportunity to get on the right side of this treasonous nightmare. You have only this chance, right here, right now. If I walk out of here without a deal, you two will be taken into custody immediately. I will read you your rights and you will decide whether to call for a lawyer or not.”
“What the hell did you bring your wife for,” Pam gestured at Rachel with tearful disgust.
Rachel yanked Pam’s hand down, twisting it behind her back. “Listen, tootsie. I’m the only woman who can partner with the most dangerous man on the planet. Watch your mouth. Understand?”
Pam nodded. “Don’t hurt me… I…I understand!”
Rachel released her. “Sit down. Eric… get us a beer.”
Eric did as ordered, much to Nick’s amusement. Over the next hour, they discussed the couple’s options, concluding with Nick’s plan to recruit them for future stings.
“No one would ever hire us after we take down Leila,” Eric said.
“I didn’t say it would be easy. I want you two maneuvering around in political circles, gathering information,” Nick replied. “Each of you will get one million dollars to conduct operations. That money must be used wisely and conservatively so as not to arouse suspicions. Live as you have been living. I’m recruiting you both to work for America. I have FBI and US Marshal contacts you will be able to get in touch with.”
“What if we take the million and blow town?” Pam immediately regretted her statement as Rachel at first looked ready to beat her. Then, Rachel laughed.
“I’m glad you asked,” Nick replied. “You two don’t know me or the people I partner with. Cross us and we hunt you down for a trip to eternity you never want to go on. If you’re not into this deal one hundred percent, it’s best to refuse, get a lawyer to make a plea deal, and go to prison for a while.”
“We’ll take the deal,” Eric stated. “I should have recognized you. The uniform and beret fooled me. You’re the US Marshal who writes novels about an assassin. You’ve killed people at your book signings. That’s eerie.”
“Keep it in mind if you ever get the urge to play me. I have been asked to take lead on your boss’s arrest, in that I will accompany you two with our evidence ready for show and tell. The FBI agents will make the formal arrest at her office. We will then proceed to the Department of Justice for formal charging. You and Pam will need to be ready for interrogation. Stick to the unedited truth without extras. Hold nothing back. Explain in detail your relationship with Worthum and Breech. Do you have any questions?”
“No,” Eric answered. “We understand.”
“We don’t get fooled,” Pam said. “You punked us but good.”
“I’m the only lifeline keeping the two of you out of prison. Remember that, and your new lives in the light will begin shortly. We’ll be going now. Gree will be meeting in her office with staffers tomorrow for what she scheduled at 10 am as a new campaign start.”
“She’ll be there. Leila never misses a campaign meeting. She screams at
everyone to make it work and then leaves,” Pam said.
“Good. I’ll come by at 9 am.”
“I have to admit,” Eric said at the door, “it will be a pleasure watching Leila Rackson-Gree get frog-marched out of the office.”
“For you and the rest of the nation,” Nick replied.
On the way to their living quarters, Rachel bumped against Nick. “Want to play soldier and nurse?”
“Do you have a nurse’s uniform?”
“I have a white cap.”
“Perfect.”
* * *
Nick escorted Eric and Pam to Gree’s office, where FBI Agents Sam Reeves and Janie Labrie awaited them with two other agents. “Has Gree arrived yet?”
“No,” Sam answered. “We would rather take her right here before she goes in her office. Thanks for wearing your uniform. It will throw her off a bit.”
“You could do that by waving a donut in front of her face,” Pam said.
Gree and her entourage of bodyguards approached her office ten minutes later, looking enraged at the sight of people in front of her office. “What the hell are you people doing here? I have a staff meeting only this morning. Break it up and get out of the building before I call security. Do you know who I am?”
“We do,” Sam answered, holding a warrant for her to see, along with his FBI credentials. “Leila Rackson-Gree, you are under arrest for fraud, money laundering, extortion, and passing information to terrorists.”
While Gree gasped, Janie read her the Miranda Act. “Do you understand these rights as they have been explained?”
“You’re not taking me anywhere! I’m a United States Congressional Representative. I’ll have your badges for this!” She turned to her confused bodyguards. “Get me the hell out of here.”
The FBI agents with Sam and Janie moved to block their way. One of the bodyguards reached into his jacket, only to have Nick’s model 1911’s barrel under his chin. “Don’t do that. This is a federal action against a suspected traitor. Keep your hands at your sides. Leave the building. Ms. Rackson-Gree will not need your services.”
The bodyguards dropped their hands, looking away from their boss. An FBI agent escorted them out. Gree pointed at Nick as he holstered his weapon. “Who the hell do you think you are? You’re in the military. You can’t do this!”
“We are doing this,” Sam told her. “US Marshal McCarty broke this case. We asked him along. Place your hands behind your back. You will be restrained.”
“I will not! I’m leaving!” She turned to storm out, only to be confronted by Janie Labrie. Gree reached to shove Janie out of the way. Labrie caught the hand. In a few seconds, Gree was handcuffed.
“That wasn’t a request,” Janie told her. “We’re marching you out of here to be transferred to the Department of Justice for interrogation and explanation of the charges. You will be given the option to have a lawyer present at that time. Resist, and I will make you look real bad. We also have a warrant to search your office and safe.”
The mention of the safe evoked a dumbfounded look of open-mouthed horror. “You…you can’t-”
“Don’t bother,” Janie interrupted. “This isn’t private property anyway. Let’s go.”
“I ain’t openin’ my safe!”
“I will be doing that,” Pam said.
“What…” Rackson-Gree fought to get back to Pam, but a twist of the cuffs kept her moving.
“I’ll follow with Eric and Pam after we collect the contents of the safe, Sam.”
“Okay, Nick. I’ll leave an agent for you so chain of custody is solid. This was an incredible bust.”
“I’m hoping Gree isn’t the only one we get when we retrieve her safe’s contents. I’ll see you shortly. Let’s go collect the goods, Pam.”
Inside the office, Eric and Pam’s co-workers stared in disbelief at the two staffers. Eric stopped to face them. “This has gone on long enough. They have an airtight case against Leila for selling out the nation. It would probably be best if you all went out today with your resumes. Gree will not be returning.”
Pam opened the safe in Gree’s office while the co-workers spoke in hushed voices while gathering their belongings. “Nick! Eric! Look at this.”
The two men moved to a spot where they could peer into the full mounted safe. The FBI agent took one look and immediately called it in. Nick shook his head. The safe, filled with tight packets of high denomination money, USB drives in plastic containers, and files encased in plastic, also housed an impressive amount of bearer bonds to be inspected later.
“Marshal McCarty,” the FBI agent named Floyd Castile said, gesturing at the safe contents. “I have people to help me. This is way beyond what we expected. Go on ahead. My team will follow with the contents.”
“Never figured she’d launder money right out of her office but that’s what this looks like, Floyd,” Nick replied.
Castile smiled. “That’s what it looks like to me too. I have a Secret Service Treasury agent joining us for the transfer.”
“We’ll leave you to it. Thanks.”
“You bet,” Castile said, staring at the safe’s contents.
* * *
Nick led his charges out to Independence Avenue. A black Humvee squealed down the avenue toward them. Nick took Eric and Pam down in one rough tackle into the snow. He leaped sideways away from them, model 1911 aimed at the street. The Humvee screeched to a halt, window down and machine pistol aimed at the sidewalk. The first burst raked the beret from Nick’s head a split second before the gunman’s head shot backwards from the 1911’s hollow point .45 caliber load. Nick charged the Humvee, whose driver tried to get moving only to receive two shots to the side of his head. Nick kept firing, walking alongside the drifting Humvee, shooting out windows all along the vehicle. He moved in to fire at point blank range. Three dead men, draped in death’s hell on earth position of loose limbed silence, stared wide-eyed at eternal darkness. The Humvee slowly crept into the posts opposite the Rayburn Building.
The Capitol Police converged on the sight, finding Nick with hands locked behind his head, kneeling on the roadway. “I’m US Marshal McCarty. My ID is next to me on the pavement. We were attacked by the occupants of the Humvee across the street.”
“They…they fired a machine gun at us,” Pam called out from where she huddled in Eric’s arms behind a parked vehicle.
One of the police checked Nick’s credentials. “You can stand, Marshal. Do you know these men?”
“Yes. We arrested Leila Rackson-Gree this morning. Those three in the Humvee are her bodyguards. They meant to kill Rackson-Gree’s chief staffers I was escorting to The Department of Justice.”
“Should I call an ambulance?”
“I think the coroner would be a better choice.” Nick accepted his beret from Pam with a smile. “Thanks. I’ll have to hold on to this one.”
“Holy shit! We were lucky they didn’t mow us all down, Nick,” Eric exclaimed from next to Pam.
“Did you just insult me?”
* * *
My monsters all glanced at the door as I went to greet my guests arriving at The Warehouse. Nick waved as he escorted Rachel, Jean, and Sonny inside. He carried baby Quinn. Gus and Tina, followed by Johnny and Cala trailed after Muerto and family.
“Hey, brother, I’m glad you and the family could come. Right this way. We have tables right by the bar where us adult monsters meet.”
“Thanks for the invite. We love our new place here in the north,” Nick said, shaking my hand.
Lynn hurried over to hug Rachel. “Hey, girlfriend! I guess Johnny and Cala told you all about our adventure with the Hollywood Bounty Hunters show.”
“Five by five, Crue,” Rachel replied.
“We did indeed, Director Deville,” Cala said, next in line for a hug. “Johnny and I had a wonderful time while Muerto finished cleaning up DC.”
Gus surged ahead with Tina to greet Lucas, ready to plot our next seafaring voyage in the works. Nick accompanied
me with the grim, but smiling Jean and Sonny. Quinn clapped his hands when he saw Samira holding Mia and Clint with Clint Jr. Nick moved to a spot where the three babies began immediately to bark at each other. Their Mom’s took them to the table so they could be together in a closer arrangement while the Monsters regrouped with Reaper and the Unholy Trio.
Drinks appeared under hands at the bar as the Delta Dawn and Dead Boy greetings went on for a few moments. Nick toasted us with a Beam brother. “To America.”
That toast was answered in kind.
“I heard you had a close call in DC, Delta Dawn,” Clint said.
Nick shrugged. “They killed my Delta Dawn beret. I sought revenge.”
“Oh yeah!” Casey shoulder hugged his Delta brother. “You and I are going to parachute into enemy occupied France. We’ll show those frogs how to treat the Sharia Law no-go zones. Man, that Sterling Heights adjustment chilled the world. You got ‘er done, partner.”
Nick smiled, glancing down at Jean and Sonny. “Say it with me, kids.”
“Doin’ right ain’t got no end,” the three recited to much amusement with fists clenched.
The End
Chapter: Future Story
Nick and Jean Bonus Story V
Political Malaise
The line of people waiting to attend the Pacific Grove council meeting moved steadily, the only delay a walk through the metal detector where Quinn greeted everyone attending. The jovial six-and-a-half-foot tall Marine always received answering smiles. Since Rachel McCarty won a council seat, the council meetings no longer provided a screaming battleground, mostly made up of gangbangers, illegal aliens, and entitlement groups. Although the Somali, elected mayor in a contested election, a woman named Astur Jama, refused to allow a police presence at the meetings, Rachel installed her own security measures.
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