Wicked Nights

by A. D. Justice

  His arms tightened around her. “I know exactly how you feel, Bri. One thing I know for sure is I wouldn’t even make it a full day without you. And now, seeing our baby like that, it’s intensified even more. I’m going to catch this asshole, I promise you.”

  “Let’s go home, Noah. Our family will be excited to watch this video of our baby. Does Roman have the satellite phone with him?”

  “Yeah, he has it. Why?”

  “Let’s Skype them in so your parents can watch it, too. Seeing these images of the baby may just give Steve an even stronger will to beat his cancer.”

  “Sounds perfect.” He kissed her forehead and released her to finish dressing. “Is there anything you need from the store before we go home?”

  “You already know that I want to go shopping for baby girl clothes,” she laughed.

  “Yeah, I know you well enough to know that,” he agreed. “If you twist my arm, I’ll let you talk me into buying her an outfit that says ‘My Daddy Has My Heart’ on it. I have a feeling I’ll need that to fight Bull off.”

  “Bull will just mark through ‘Daddy’ and write ‘Uncle Bull’ in,” she replied. “He claimed his place in our child’s life as soon as he found out I was pregnant.”

  Before heading home, Noah drove to the shopping mall and picked out more items than Brianna did. As they walked through the department store on their way out, the display of flat-screen TVs that covered an entire wall showcased the various high-definition options. One by one, the images on every television changed to display a piece of a puzzle until the full image covered the entire wall.

  The image was the 3-D still shot of Noah and Brianna’s baby girl. A message appeared across the bottom of the screens that read:

  Congratulations on your pink bundle of joy.

  Hope you have a picture of her.

  You’ll need it.

  12

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “I figured it out,” Rebel exclaimed. “I know why the fucking bastard is so familiar now.”

  “By all means, tell us,” Shadow replied.

  “Remember the hostages we got out of the far northern region of Iran? He looks just like the guy who ran that compound, Hamid Madani,” Rebel replied. “He shot at me as we were getting out and damn near took my head off. I returned fire and killed him.”

  “A family member out for revenge? A son or nephew with such a close resemblance, maybe?” Shadow suggested.

  “We’ll have the analysts do some digging on that name and see how it ties into Ali Babek Turan,” Joe interrupted as he walked in. “Right now, we have more pressing concerns.”

  “What happened?” Bull asked.

  “Multiple cyberattacks at once. He doesn’t fit the regular mold of an extremist, and that makes me think he’s going rogue,” Joe replied. “Every personal cell phone on one floor of the Department of Homeland Security building in Washington, DC just started ringing at the exact same time. No two of the incoming numbers were the same.”

  “A couple of the employees answered their phones. It was a recording from their banks confirming $100,000 deposits into their checking accounts,” Bill added.

  “They all use the same bank?” Bull asked.

  “No, that’s the thing. It was the same recording from their different banks,” Bill clarified.

  “And the deposits were real?” Shadow asked.

  “Yes, all of the money was transferred from the bank account of a US-owned oil refinery located in Oklahoma,” Joe replied. “Since we already had the tap on his ‘borrowed’ Internet connection, we were able to trace it back to him pretty quickly.”

  “The money transfer is most likely a diversionary tactic, but he knows it can’t be ignored. If I were a betting man, I’d say his real intentions are about to kick in,” Bull said.

  “I’d take that bet,” Landry replied.

  “Since you’re all so ready to gamble, can I interest you in a game of poker?” Liz asked from the doorway. She waved a deck of cards at the men and flashed her sweetest smile. “I’ll deal.”

  “That’s very thoughtful of you to offer, Liz.” Shadow winked at her. “Too bad we have a bad guy to catch before we can stop for playtime.”

  “There’s always time to play, Shadow,” Liz argued. “We’re not promised the next breath. What if you step outside and get mowed down by a big truck? You’d die without having ever played a hand of poker with me.”

  “That would be tragic.” Shadow nodded.

  “It would be a travesty,” she agreed. “There’s only one solution. We should all play right now. You boys just go ahead and kick off your shoes, make yourself comfortable before we get started.”

  Bill and Joe exchanged glances and a shared idea seemed to pass wordlessly between them. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” Bill asked.

  “I’m sure of it,” Joe replied before turning his gaze. “Liz, I think it’s time we play our secret card and draw him out into the light. You game?”

  “For catching that little bastard?” she asked. “I’m game.”

  “I’ll get started on the breaking news reports,” Bill replied. “I’ll be back in touch later today.”

  “I’ll get our analysts up to speed. We’ll need extra manpower to catch the chatter and weed out the junk,” Joe added before both men walked out the door.

  “Looks like that leaves us, boys.” Liz smiled and began to cut the card deck.

  Moments later, the driveway alert sounded, and Shadow strolled to the window to look. “Reaper’s back,” he called out. Concern covered his face and he quickly added, “Something’s wrong. He’s flying up the driveway like a bat out of hell.”

  Shadow, Bull, and Rebel rushed to meet Reaper and Brianna inside the garage. Reaper slammed the door as he exited the car and rushed around to help Brianna out. Even in his aggravated state, they watched as their friend visibly calmed himself before he took her hand.

  “What happened, boss?” Rebel asked.

  “Get me the scissors, Rebel. I’m going to cut his balls off myself,” Brianna replied.

  Rebel’s eyes darted between Brianna and Reaper, unsure of what he should do with that statement. “Whose balls are we cutting off, little lady?”

  “Turan’s. He’s destined to live the rest of his days as a eunuch, courtesy of yours truly,” Brianna replied.

  “What’d he do now?” Bull asked. His lips drew into a thin line, his nostrils flared, and his brow furrowed. He had a good idea he wouldn’t like Brianna’s answer at all.

  “Noah and I went shopping for baby stuff after our appointment. We were walking through the store to exit, and our baby’s ultrasound picture was on a giant display of TVs. He added a personal note that said congratulations, hope you have a picture of your baby, you’ll need it,” she replied, anger dripping from her every word. “He used the very picture we just got from the ultrasound.”

  Bull’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “I’ll tear him limb from limb.”

  “Get in line, brother,” Reaper replied.

  “He’s watching you,” Shadow replied. “Probably from a traffic camera around your doctor or the mall. Did you have the picture out in the open at any time?”

  “When we were walking out of the office,” Brianna confirmed. “I was still staring at it.”

  “He’s not going to get to you or the baby, Sunny,” Bull promised. “Maybe you should take someone else with you when you go out.”

  “Bull, I won’t take any chances, but I won’t live my life as his prisoner either. The three years I already spent in that mode were more than too much.”

  “We’ll just have to take him out sooner rather than later,” Shadow replied. “I can handle it tonight if you want.”

  “I found the mission that I think tied us to him,” Rebel said. “It was the hostage situation in northern Iran. He looks a lot like the group leader I killed. The analysts will start looking into a real name and known associations soon.”

  “Good job, Re
bel. That brings us one step closer to figuring out who else he’s tied to, who to watch, what their endgame is. And to closing this case for good,” Reaper replied. “Hold that thought, Shadow. You may actually be on to something.”

  “He launched another cyberattack earlier.” Bull repeated the conversation they’d had with Joe and Bill to bring Reaper up to speed.

  “Turan’s been busy today,” Reaper replied. “More so than usual. I don’t like it. More reason why I think Shadow’s on the right path.”

  “Have you heard from Mom and Dad?” Chaise asked. “Before you do anything, I just want to feel like they’re safe.”

  “I talked to Roman on the satellite phone earlier,” he confirmed. “They’re fine. No landlines, no Internet, and no distractions. They’re surprisingly all having a good time. Roman and Tawnee are being extra vigilant about security just in case, though.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. They need a break from all of this. It’s too much stress on Dad in his condition,” Chaise replied as she joined the conversation. “Maybe they should go on to Texas for his treatment and get away from all of this.”

  “That’s a good idea, Chaise,” Noah agreed. “We should probably talk to them about it when they get back from this trip tomorrow. I know I’d feel better if they were far away from Turan.”

  “Bull, it’s time for us to go meet with the florist about our flowers for the wedding,” Chaise said as she glanced at her watch. “We’d better hurry or we’ll be late.”

  “Shit, I almost forgot all about that. I’m ready to go when you are.” Bull leaned in and placed a kiss on her cheek. “My offer to run away and get married somewhere crazy still stands.”

  “Not a chance in hell, Bull,” Chaise replied. “I want to see you in a tuxedo. This is the only way I can get you to wear one.”

  Bull shook his head because he knew Chaise would win him over, regardless of how or why he argued against it. “Let’s go then, woman. Get the lead out.”

  “Yeah, yeah, let me grab my purse.”

  “Are we really moving on him tonight?” Bull asked Reaper.

  “I think it’s time we did something. We’ve listened to the CIA and the FBI. We’ve waited it out, kept tabs on his whereabouts, but he’s still fucking with us. The flurry of activity today doesn’t fit the profile of someone is who cold, calculating, and patient. It says he’s becoming sloppy, desperate, and too unpredictable,” Reaper replied. “If we can pull him out of there, Brad and the CIA analysts can scour through his files, pretend to be him for a little while until we find out what their plans are.”

  “Worth a shot. We’ll be back in a few hours. Don’t go without me,” Bull warned.

  “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Reaper replied when Bull and Chaise started to walk off.

  Shadow rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Let’s get our mission plan laid out while Bull’s picking out pansies.”

  “Fuck off, man,” Bull called over his shoulder.

  “Fuckoff? Is that a type of pansy?” Shadow retorted.

  Bull flipped Shadow his signature one-finger salute over his shoulder and didn’t bother to turn around for a reaction. The men laughed good-naturedly and moved their discussion inside Noah’s office. Rebel grabbed the street-level map, and they began to plan their incursion on Turan’s stronghold.

  Liz yelled excitedly from the den. “I’m on the television. I’m a star!”

  Everyone joined her to watch the breaking news alert.

  The national news anchorwoman was the poster child for perfect hair, makeup, and a commanding presence. As she spoke, she owned her audience with her urgency and passion. “Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt the regularly scheduled programming to bring you this breaking news. Government officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have confirmed that an elderly woman from Colorado has survived an attempt on her life. Her attacker is a member of a known terrorist group with ties to extremists in Iran. If you’ve seen this man” —the picture of Turan filled the screen— “please call the authorities immediately. Do not attempt to apprehend him yourself. He is considered armed and dangerous.

  “I have an exclusive interview tonight with this incredibly brave lady who barely survived after he intentionally poisoned her. Tune in as she describes the close call, her thoughts on living next door to a real life sleeper-cell terrorist, and what message she’d like to send to Ali Babek Turan now. We are working to bring you more details on anyone Turan may be working with and where. Stay tuned for more.”

  “Can you believe that? I’m going to be interviewed on the national news tonight. Everyone will know who I am after this.” Liz beamed.

  “We’d better get you ready for your fifteen minutes of fame, Liz.” Brianna smiled. “Come on upstairs with me while your boys finish working.”

  “Make me look sexy,” Liz replied. “I can’t go on national television looking like a slob.”

  “Of course not,” Brianna agreed. As she passed Noah, she murmured under her breath to him, “You owe me.”

  “It’s so worth it,” he replied with a smile.

  “Guess Bill and Joe are making good on their promises,” Rebel said. “This kind of exposure will push Turan over the edge. Everything’s been on his terms so far, but his playing field just changed.”

  “Maybe tonight is perfect timing, then,” Reaper replied. “When the other members of his group see this, it will not end well for him. Besides blowing their covers and all the time they’ve invested in their mission, he just dishonored all of them.”

  * * *

  When his burner phone rang, rather than the VOIP on his laptop, Turan knew without a doubt that it would be bad.

  “Hello,” he answered.

  “Look at the news,” the voice said.

  “What channel?”

  “It doesn’t matter. It’s the same on all of them.”

  Turan quickly pulled up the national news website and saw his reflection staring back at him. He clicked “play” on the video and watched as the news anchor described his ties to terrorism, the crimes being attributed to him, and the exclusive interview with the elderly survivor of his latest known attack.

  “They have your picture,” the voice spoke slowly. “They have your known aliases. They can trace you back to us. You’ve put our entire agenda in jeopardy with your selfish personal gains.”

  “I am my own man, and I don’t need your permission,” he stated flatly. “This news changes nothing.”

  “It changes everything…for you,” he replied and promptly disconnected the call.

  “No, it doesn’t—” Turan began to argue before he realized no one was on the line.

  Over the next hour, he went to every news website he could find. He read countless articles about the miraculous survival and recovery of an elderly lady who’d been poisoned by a known terrorist. He learned that he’d been on the FBI Watchlist, but he fell off their scope for a short time.

  The poisoning of an American citizen on American soil by a terrorist on a government watch list was big news. It threatened the safety and security of a nation, and that nation’s citizens were angry about it. They were quickly turning on him in social media posts, in replies to news articles, and in groups that encouraged local militia to take up arms and find him.

  “The modern version of a lynch mob,” he mused. “Let’s see how well some of you work in the dark. Right after you watch Liz’s interview tonight, you’ll begin to understand what terror really is.”

  Using one of his more powerful machines, he worked his way into the local power grid controls. With a few keystrokes, he programmed a change in the electric company computers that was scheduled to go into effect at midnight.

  “Soon, the lights will go out and the line crews won’t be able to find anything wrong at the substation. Everything will appear to function correctly,” he sneered.

  A breaking news bulletin flashed across the screen of his laptop and the video automatically started playing. “
Local News 3 has learned that the survivor of the terrorist attack has moved here to Miami to recuperate with friends. Stay tuned as we carry the national coverage on her interview, the harrowing details of her attack, and how she managed to survive a death sentence. Coming up next on Local News 3.”

  “Liz is in Miami?” Turan narrowed his eyes at the screen. “Is she really here, or are you just trying to draw me out of hiding?”

  When the special news coverage started, the well-known news anchor started the program with her usual ploy to create suspense and eagerness for the latest update. Turan rolled his eyes at her penchant for drama.

  “Tonight, I have the distinct honor and pleasure of interviewing someone incredible. An older lady who, for all intents and purposes, should be dead right now after being savagely poisoned by her neighbor. It turns out that her former neighbor is a wanted terrorist and is tied to several other murders. Mrs. Elizabeth Stanton may very well be the only person who has survived an attack from this brutal man.

  “Mrs. Stanton joins us from a secure, remote location for her safety. This madman is still at large and is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not attempt to apprehend or even approach him on your own. Call the authorities immediately and report his whereabouts. Someone out there has seen him, and you may very well be the key to ending this nightmare that our nation is currently in.”

  Turan laughed at her assessment of him. A madman. Armed and dangerous. Call for help, run for cover, hide and weep.

  “And now, I’d like you to meet Mrs. Elizabeth Stanton. Welcome, Liz.”

  “Thank you, Julia. It’s good to be here with you,” Liz replied with a smile.

  “Liz, let’s go back to the time just before your neighbor so viciously tried to kill you. What was he like?”

  “He was boring, Julia,” Liz stated bluntly. “He was like a wet blanket, putting the fires out around him from pure suffocation of fun. His social skills were nonexistent and his hygiene was severely lacking. I tried to befriend him, help him out of his shell, but obviously not everyone wants to be helped.”