Hell on Earth

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “Okay… but… oh, there’s Lora.”

  Tess waves at a late model tan Toyota Camry driving into the parking lot. After it’s parked, a little strawberry haired girl gets out of the passenger seat, slams the door and runs with open arms to Tess. A red haired woman locked up the Toyota with a remote as she approached us. Lora looked like a slightly older version of Tess with a bit more sultriness, same height, good figure, long hair in a ponytail, and wearing a striking dark blue dress. She offers her hand to me with a welcoming smile.

  “You must be John. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  I engulf her hand gently for a moment. “If you heard it from your sister, don’t believe half of it.”

  Lora laughed as Tess clucked and released Alice, turning her to face me. “This is my niece Alice. This is my friend, John.”

  Alice stared up at me with her mouth open. “You…you’re kinda big, mister.”

  I give her a wave. “Hi Alice, nice to meet you. Did you stay home from school today?”

  Alice looks at her Mom before answering. “Yeah, I’ll come back tomorrow. Are you going to the meeting with us?”

  “Your Aunt Tess asked me to sit in with you if that’s okay.”

  “Sure. C’mon… I’ll show you where.” Alice grabs my hand and pulls me toward the school.

  I look back at the sisters exchanging pleasantries as they’re following close behind so I figure Alice must know where she’s going. Inside the school Alice walks me along the main hall to the office where a startled young lady behind the counter stares up at me like I’m a troll blocking the bridge entrance she’s trying to cross. Tess moves around me.

  “Hi, I’m Tess Connagher. My sister Lora Radcliff and her daughter Alice have an appointment with Principal Willis.”

  The young woman scans the computer screen out of our sight and nods. “Yes, of course. I’ll tell the principal you’re here.”

  The counter lady disappears through a rear door and comes back with a tall black woman in a dark green two piece business type dress. She smiled engagingly at us and held her hand out to Lora.

  “I’m Carol Willis. I talked to you on the phone.”

  Lora introduced Tess and me. The principal shook hands with each of us, holding onto my hand an extra moment. “Are you a family friend, Mr. Harding?”

  “This is my fiancé, Ms. Willis,” Tess chimed in.

  I smiled amiably and kept my mouth shut.

  “I’m sure we can straighten this misunderstanding out quickly,” Principal Willis assured us as she indicated we should follow her. “Maria Tolver and her daughter Michelle are waiting in my office with Ms. Tolver’s husband and grandfather.”

  Wow, this is getting exciting. Maybe we should have rented a hall. As it turns out the principal’s office is big enough for all of us. Alice clung to my hand still with both hers. The other little girl, Michelle, stared right at her with that malevolent look kids have no trouble summoning. A nervous looking brunette in slacks and blouse sat next to Michelle on her right. On the other side of the child demon sat a very surly looking guy in navy blue work clothes. Next to him sat Alexi Fiialkov. He met my amused look with one of his own. Standing quickly, Alexi stuck his hand out to me and I shook it. I hate coincidences but this one was at least entertaining. I need to get a Lotto ticket.

  “It is a nice surprise to see you again, Mr. Harding.”

  “Call me John, Alexii.”

  “You know this man, Papa?” Maria Tolver asks in a very respectful manner.

  “Yes, John and I discussed some business the other night.” Alexii turned and knelt next to his granddaughter. The look he was giving her wiped the malevolent one off little Michelle’s face in an instant. “Did you threaten this little girl, Mishy? Tell me truth.”

  Michelle didn’t hesitate. She nodded yes. Alexi sighed and patted her hand. He stood up and shifted his attention to Principal Willis. “I am very sorry for all this trouble. We will make sure my granddaughter is polite and respectful around all other children from now on. Is that not so, Mishy?”

  “Yes.. Da,” Michelle answered in a quivering voice.

  “Wonderful.” Principal Willis looked a little confused. “I’m glad that-”

  “Wait a minute.” The Dad jumped up next to Alexi. “What about-”

  Maria grabbed onto her husband’s arm with a fearful look. “Don’t Tim! It is as Papa says. Michelle has misled us. Kids are kids.”

  “Yes, Tim, we will not be wasting these people’s time any longer.” Alexi had turned to face his son-in-law, who took one look at Alexi and shifted his gaze to the floor. The old man gets respect at home. I’ll give him that. Fiialkov knelt down next to Alice. “I hope you and my granddaughter can be friends from now on.”

  “Me too, Sir.” Alice looked stunned but happy.

  Alexi straightened with an appreciative chuckle. He shook hands with Tess, Lora, and Willis. “I hope we will meet under better circumstances in the future.” He then grinned at me. “The stars seem aligned for us to continue running into each other, John.”

  “I will try to make sure it is by appointment next time, Alexii.”

  He laughed. With his family following close behind they trooped out of the principal’s office. Alice and Michelle exchanged little waves. Surly Tim gave me a final parting glare but it was meaningless. If it weren’t for Michelle’s obvious animosity toward Alice before Alexi’s intervention and her Father’s glowering participation, I’d think this was a setup. Some possibilities flitted through my head. I guess we’ll see.

  Chapter Ten

  The Sister Card and Meeting Samira

  Tess and Lora were still in quasi shock at the surprisingly quick resolution of what they had considered a monumental confrontation. I’m happy because this Pseudo-Dad foray was over without ending up in the gray-bar hotel. Principal Willis peered up at me with that look you see teachers give to the class clown.

  “Well, Mr. Harding, it was indeed beneficial to have you here.”

  “Thanks. I’m glad it worked out. May I be excused now, Ma’am?”

  She laughed as did Tess and Lora. Alice giggled, more at the adults laughing than her understanding of my adlib.

  “Yes, John, you may go now,” Principal Willis quipped after a moment. “Stay out of trouble. I don’t want to see you back in my office again.”

  “Me either.” We then left after the usual parting pleasantries. School was ending for the day so we sifted our way out to the parking lot through the streaming kids, teachers, and parents in a comfortable silence. Alice skipped along next to me obviously happy with the outcome. In the parking lot, Lora hugged me long enough to draw the attention of passersby.

  “I don’t know how to thank you.”

  I pulled away before it became obvious she was provoking an unintentional reaction from my little brain below the belt. “Thank Tess. This was her idea. She set a bomb in my big screen HDTV to go off if I didn’t come along. She has the detonator in her purse.”

  After laughter at my explanation of Tess’s recruitment tactics Lora made Tess promise to bring me over to their house for dinner soon. I have no objection. Lora’s very attractive and I like Alice. Maybe the next time Tess drops me like a bad habit I’ll go play the Pseudo-Dad card with Lora and Alice. Tess seems to be reading my mind because as Lora and Alice drive away she launches an elbow toward my damaged ribcage I block. I have Tess hopping toward her car a split second later with the weapon elbow pinched in a firm grip.

  “Ouch! Let me go you brute!”

  “I’m sure it slipped your mind but it would be very painful right now to take an elbow to my ribcage from anyone.”

  Tess relaxed, looking at me contritely. “Sorry, John. I forgot about your ribcage when you decided to dry hump my sister.”

  “In my defense, she hugged me. Besides, your sister’s single, right?”

  “We’re engaged, you predator!”

  That cracked me up. Tess growled sort of and ran around to her dri
ver’s side. She scrambled in without unlocking my door. I tapped on the window as Tess started the car and put it into reverse. “The second you drive away without me, I’m calling Lora.”

  My door lock popped open. I eased in quickly, not sure if she’d change her mind and take off with me halfway out. I’m not upset. This means I will be able to pull the Lora card with noticeable effect in the future. It’s all good. Tess is fuming for reasons only she knows. I’m keeping quiet while sneaking peeks at her legs. While diving in behind the steering wheel Tess’s dress had ridden up to the top of her thighs. Oh yeah! What can I say, this Pseudo-Dad gig has me aroused for some reason… probably because of Lora’s impromptu hug. Tess catches me peeking and tries to pull her hem down but can’t get the bunched material to cooperate.

  “You are such a pig!”

  I smile over at her and pull the card. “First I’m a predator and now I’m a pig? Maybe you should let me out. I’ll call Lora. She’ll come pick me up.”

  Tess takes a deep breath. I think she’s figured out what’s going on. “I sure gave you a weapon to bludgeon me with, didn’t I?”

  “Yeah you did. Your sister’s very attractive.”

  “No boy ever looked at me after they saw her when we were growing up.”

  “She gives good hugs.”

  Tess giggled. “You pulled away so quickly I figured little John was on the rise. It caught me by surprise and I overreacted.”

  “Yuh think?”

  “Deny your blood wasn’t racing when Lora latched onto you like a wet sheet.”

  “I can’t tell lies to a future business partner. So, is this some kind of deal breaker?”

  “No. I’ve always been jealous of my sister. How come my fiancé tapped into those long bubbling over feelings of inadequacy to make me mental?”

  “I’m sorry. I’ll wear armor plating if we have dinner with Lora and Alice.”

  “You aren’t going near her again.”

  Let’s see where this is going. “What’s in it for me?”

  Tess jerked the hem of her dress up. Oh mama. She smiled over at me. “I have time for some negotiations on the point of recompense. That Alexi guy was the one from the other night, wasn’t he? I would say meeting him at the school is a more remote happening than getting struck by lightning.”

  I chuckled. “You have a gift for stating the obvious, Tess. I’ve had so many goofy coincidences happen to me I’m usually prepared. I admit this Karma incident caught me flatfooted.”

  I reached over and moved my hand along her leg with a touch soft enough to make her shudder. “By the way, I don’t think running into Alexi was quite the coincidence it seemed. I bet one of the reasons he braced me at The Warehouse had more to do with you than talking me into a dive. That’s why the moron I slugged at the beginning wanted to keep you outside with me.”

  “Not bad, Harding,” Tess acknowledged, opening her legs slightly to accept the inner thigh caress I was carrying out. “Fiialkov couldn’t fake his Granddaughter’s part in this. He figured to cower you with his men in front of me. Later, he’d slip in an offhand mention of Lora and Alice. When you rained on his parade he came today hoping you’d be there to what… appear magnanimous?”

  “Very good, Connagher. It’s not a bad thing. Alexi couldn’t lose. If I hadn’t come, he could have added his glowering scowl to the son-in-law’s. The outcome then would have hinged on Principal Willis, with you, Lora, and Alice getting a scare thrown into you. When I did show up, Alexi makes a grand gesture, demonstrates his position, and scores points even more impressively.”

  “I’d feel more comfortable if it were just good Karma.”

  “Not me. I prefer duplicitous planning rather than haphazard meetings destined by the stars when it comes to Russian mobsters.”

  Tess laughed, squirming slightly under my touch as her breathing deepened. “You would. What do we do now?”

  “Enjoy the moment.”

  * * *

  I held Tess in my arms as she slept. It had been one fine late afternoon. Seeing the time on Tess’s nightstand clock I realize my next mission date loomed only hours away. Starting with her upper shoulders I use my hands to do the wakeup call. She murmurs in protest but turns into me just the same. The wakeup turns out to be a very tender affair I nearly decide to blow off my mission meeting to prolong through the night. When I roll towards the edge of the bed Tess yanks on my arm.

  “Hey what is this, the brush off?”

  “Worse, it’s the job. I have to get home, change, and take Jafar over to meet Samira. We have a date at seven to get acquainted. Can you get dressed and take me home or should I call a cab?”

  “I’ll take you. Can I come along?”

  “Not this time. There’s no telling whether Samira’s being watched. I’d rather no one sees you hanging around with me and Samira. She already has a bulls-eye painted on her. I don’t want you to have one too. I have enough to worry about with breaking Jafar into this.”

  Tess leaps on me as I get up from the bed, wrapping her legs around my waist and her arms around my throat. I wince slightly as Tess again forgets about my ribs. “Hey, you’re not helping. I thought we came to an agreement.”

  “You agreed. I’m protesting now.”

  “Tess. Don’t make me give you a spanking.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.”

  A moment later Tess was over my left leg with her legs clamped by my right and her wrists trapped in my left hand. She squealed while trying to roll free. I gave her a hard swat.

  “Are you going to behave?”

  “Maybe. Can we continue this later?”

  She got me again. I straighten her up. “Get dressed or I will call a cab.”

  Tess sighs while observing the effect she was having on me with her arms folded over her chest. “Okay, but I want a rematch.”

  “We’ll see.” I dressed, stuffing the tie in my suit-coat pocket while Tess puts on jeans and a sweater top before tying her hair back in a ponytail. She sticks her feet inside some black slip-ons and faces me.

  “Will I see you again while you’re doing this gig?”

  “Unless we’re out of the area, I’ll be around at night if you’d like.”

  Tess walks over and leans against me, her head on my chest. “I like. You turned me inside out today and all I can think of is more.”

  “I’m glad. I’ll come back over late if you’ll be up.”

  Tess pushed away, walked over to the nightstand, and plucked a key out of the top drawer. She handed it to me. “It’s a spare door key. Come over whenever you can. Let yourself in if it’s real late.”

  I took the key from her with some trepidation. “I won’t abuse this.”

  “I know that. C’mon. Let’s get going before you tear right through your pants.”

  * * *

  Jafar met me at the door. He dressed just as I had instructed with dark slacks and pullover shirt. “How was your meeting? You were gone longer than I thought you would be.”

  “I’m glad you’re dressed.” I moved past him toward the bathroom. I needed a shower. “Did you have any trouble with the pants-on-the-ground crowd?”

  “Nope. They turned away whenever I passed any of them in the hall. Was that your doing?”

  “I may have explained some delicate points of contention to them. Relax for a few minutes. I’ll be ready to walk out of here shortly.”

  I looked Jafar over before we headed to our meeting. With a black leather jacket on over his shirt, he looked very handsome. “I think Samira will approve. Remember, saying less is better. Listen well. Speak only when it’s clear the girl wants to make conversation with you. Restraint is the key word. If you get nervous and start running off at the mouth this will not go well.”

  “You will be nearby, right?”

  “I won’t be leaving you on your own. Tonight we’re reviewing plans and getting to know each other while Government Inc fills us in on what Samira’s first speaking date will be like. Pay cl
ose attention to everything starting right now. Every detail is important. We’re not the Secret Service. We want to be as inconspicuous as possible which means no swiveling heads. Practice taking everything in as you would at the high school, knowing a beating would be forthcoming if the wrong person noticed your interest. There will be a quiz later.”

  “Will we be responsible for her 24/7?”

  “No. When she goes to a speaking engagement or one of those press briefings, we’ll be with her. The agency will handle security at Jack London Inn. I’ll take you with me when I recon the first speaking gig. You’ll need to learn where people who want to kill you will be setting up shop at a place they know you’ll be going to. Wait here. I’ll get a piece of equipment I want you to get very familiar with.”

  I retrieved two Leupold Mark 4 spotting scopes from my equipment stash. We went out back while I explained the basics for using a spotting scope, including range finding, and mentally marking quadrants in a search grid. Watching Jafar’s face I could tell he was a good pick for my tech junkie job. He grasped intricate sniper team and surveillance tactics almost instinctively. Jafar handled the Mark 4 with reverent care. The speed in which he perceived application use for the instrument was most impressive.

  “With practice, you and I will recon a speaking engagement in hours, referencing all the weak defense points. It’s both tedious and exhilarating. The first time you visit a site, mark the most likely position where a sniper team would set up, and then pinpoint where you should establish a team to intercept them will make your blood pump. Once an enemy team sets up right in front of your eyes in the exact location you predicted, the thrill will overcome any tedious elements of the task from then on.”

  “I am already fired up,” Jafar assured me. “Do they give you anything you ask for?”

  “If you convince me we need something once you’re familiar with recon, I’ll get it for you. Nearly anything you can imagine is probably possible so speak up. I admit to being more blunt force trauma than high tech artistry but I have background and training in stuff you’ve only seen in movies. C’mon, we have to go.”