Cold Blooded Assassin Book 7: Hell on Earth (Nick McCarty Assassin)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

“Dark Lord?”

  “Yeah, you know, like in the video games with Darth Vader. If you blow up enough stuff you get a Dark Lord trophy. You sound like you’re giving me the imperial bum’s rush and you do look like what I’d imagine the Dark Lord would look like.” She laughed at my look of complete bewilderment. “I guess you don’t play many video games.”

  I tried to switch from confused look to fake outrage. “I’ve seen ‘Star Wars’ and I object to being compared to Darth Vader. I’m more of a Han Solo.”

  “More like Chewbacca.”

  “The Dark Lord takes no disrespect from underlings!” I used my bass, gravel voice to represent the Dark Lord. Lora cracked up. “You will regret insulting the Dark Lord!”

  By now I was getting a few laughs from the regulars seated around at other tables. I decided to quit the comedy act while I was still ahead. Lora took a moment more before addressing the Dark Lord.

  “For a guy who does what you do you’re pretty funny.”

  “Remember the part about forgetting what I do outside of the business you’re applying for?”

  Lora bowed her head slightly. “Yes, Dark Lord. I only meant that Tess always described you as ‘Silent Bob’. You were funny at the school and now here you are riffing off my Dark Lord tease.”

  “Maybe that’s because your sister had a habit of starting every conversation with me by critiquing my existence. It’s hard being funny while listening to a diatribe about my shortcomings, which according to Tess were legion.”

  “Oh boy… I’m afraid we get that from my Mom. I’m in recovery but with my Mom living with me I’ve been backsliding lately. Did that bother you much?”

  “Nope. I kept my comic routine to myself though.”

  Lora patted my hand wrapped around my beer on the table. Then she held on to it. “Why don’t you come over to my place tonight? You can do your comedy act for me.”

  Woe there, Nelly. It’s not that I’m not attracted, but her sister split town after almost getting killed while involved in my affairs. “That’s a little creepy even for me, Lora.”

  Lora laughed. “Why? I promise to be on my best behavior, Dark Lord. Besides, Alice asked me if you could come to dinner this weekend.”

  Tuesday had been a day Jack Bauer would have pissed his pants living through. I’m not making plans anywhere past tonight. I still had the gig with Samira. Today was one of those days that can make you rethink new businesses, employees, and even dinner dates with beautiful redheads. “I’ll call you.”

  Lora studies me with a very slight upturn of her mouth. Unlike her sister, who would have been making rude comments about my turning her down, it didn’t look like Lora took it personally. She seemed to understand it had been one hell of a long day. I finish my Bud while allowing her to look me over like the cheat sheet for the next day’s big test. Lora comes to a decision and sits up straight, clasping hands atop the table as if waiting for the teacher to collect last night’s homework assignment. She leans forward with a whisper.

  “Come home with me, John. I’ll turn your world inside out. No one’s laid a hand on me since my husband dumped me for that teenage bimbo he’s living with in Arizona.”

  I sat up straight after hearing that. “Wow.”

  “Don’t make me beg, Dark Lord. I’ve wanted you since the school parking lot. I knew Tess would be too stupid to hold onto you with both hands. No strings attached. I’ll even sing ‘Angel of the Morning’ tomorrow when you leave me.”

  Did I mention what a rule breaker I was? Out the window goes caution and every damn common sense notion this was a bad idea. “Just touch your cheek before I leave you, huh?”

  Lora giggled enticingly at my line from the song. “You betcha’.”

  “Okay, maybe I am that easy. You’ll be gentle, right?”

  Lora laughed out loud as she started getting up. I put money on the table and followed her example when a nasal baritone barked out my name from somewhere near the side entrance like it was coughing up a lugy. “Harding!”

  “Stay in your seat, Lora.”

  Lora dropped back down instantly and I turned to look across the tables where everyone else was staring already. Yep, my ‘24’ episodic day needed this: Van Rankin and his posse. I thought Rankin would still be in intensive care. Here he was in a nearly full face mask and I’m sure by the stiffness of his movements a rib and back truss. The two guys with him are Mikhail Rowan and his buddy from the other night’s collection of Timmy and their friend Viktor. I see respect in their eyes so Alexi made sure they were with Rankin to curb him from doing something stupid. I walked up to the bar, leaning on it as I watched Rankin approach me stiffly.

  “One for the road, Champ.” Marla put a double Beam next to my hand. I love a barkeep with timing. I smiled my appreciation, sipping as Van plodded to me like Robbie the Robot. A few Oakland PD watched from their tables and the game room.

  “Hey Van, nice to see you up and around.” I nodded at Mikhail and his friend.

  Ever hear a nasal growl. It’s very unique.

  “Alexi told me you made a deal to fight me again. I wanted to hear it from you.”

  “It’s true.”

  I saw the face mask nod slightly in acceptance. “I will kill you… in the cage when we meet.”

  “Good to know, but as I recall, you were going to kill me the other night too. How’d that work out for you?”

  Laughter and chortles from the table nearly made Rankin go postal. His hand reached for me but Mikhail grabbed him.

  “Do not touch this man! Our orders are you confirm fight and we leave. Mr. Harding has confirmed the fight. Come… we must go.”

  Now, a nasal snarl as Rankin’s handlers pulled him gently around. “I kill you… Harding. I’ll maim you first… then kill you. You are dead!

  I toasted him with the rest of my Beam. “Do svidaniya, comrade!”

  Van bucks in his handlers’ arms but they keep him moving stiffly out the door with the sound of laughter from the bar as his parting music. A laughing Marla refills my double without asking.

  “Oh… Champ… that was entertainment. I think you better call it a career, John. Don’t get back in the cage with that guy unless they allow you to take a gun in with you.”

  I quaffed half the Beam. My buzz was returning with a very nice resurgence. “You too, Marla? First Tommy tells me I ain’t got a chance and now my favorite bartender?”

  A big jovial looking OPD named Nick Breen heard our conversation from his table nearby as the bar’s patrons had returned to their pursuits. “Best follow Marla’s advice, John. You got Rankin good. Duck that Godzilla bastard.”

  I threw the rest of my Beam down with a sigh. “Might as well put on an evening gown and high heels, Nick. Ain’t duckin’ anybody.”

  More laughter as I went to collect a surprised Lora… at least by the look on her face she was surprised. I left another hundred in addition to what was on the table at the bar while escorting Lora out the front. “Thanks Marla. Tonight made me forget all about today and that was a good thing.”

  “Goodnight, John. It’s always a pleasure. Don’t fight that goon.”

  I laughed. “Bet on Rankin if you want.”

  “Never happen.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  New Partnership

  I opened the front door, peeking around for surprises I could see. I was moderately buzzed, not stupid. When things looked clear we walked out and Lora led me to her Toyota. She used her remote to unlock the doors and I held the door for her before going around and squeezing into the passenger side. Lora didn’t speak until we were on our way to her place. Those last two Beams were soothing me real good so I could have traveled the whole way in silence. Naturally, no one appreciates a good silence anymore.

  “I assume you did that to the monster in the face mask.”

  “Correcto.”

  “Why in the world would he want to fight you again?”

  “He made a big mistake rushing me at the fight�
��s start. I busted his face with a knee. He thinks it’ll be a different story when we fight again. So does my partner… and apparently the Warehouse Bar.”

  “Will they let him kill you if he can?”

  “Not if his manager gets the fight put on a UFC card… you know, Ultimate Fighting. They have no nonsense refs who don’t want any deaths in the cage. Mistakes can happen though.”

  “I’ve watched some UFC stuff. It’s brutal. From what Tess told me, your pickup fights are just as bad or worse. She told me you killed a guy in a MMA match and that’s why you have to fight outside. Can that guy’s manager really get you into the UFC?”

  “His manager is Alexi Fiialkov, the Russian mobster you met at the school.”

  Lora gasped. “Holy shit!”

  “It’s complicated. If you want, you can just drop me off at home.”

  “What makes you think I want to do that? I’m just surprised how interconnected things seem to be. You have quite the fan club at that bar.”

  “I try to stay on good terms with the OPD and that’s their bar in essence.”

  “Tess told me she bails you out of jail.”

  “I’ve been taken into custody for questioning. My records clean. Bond enforcement can be a little tricky. I make enemies occasionally that try to get payback.”

  “That’s what put you in the paper with that Ishmael guy- payback?”

  She saw that too. “Pretty much.” I change the subject. “You live over in the Washington Manor area of San Leandro near that Corvallis Elementary school Alice attends, right?”

  Lora nodded. “We rent a house on Wiley. They have some teacher’s meeting at the school tomorrow which is why I let Alice stay overnight with her friend. Since I’m off work for now I can take you home before I pick up Alice in the morning. That is… if you want to wait around instead of brushing my cheek, calling me angel in the morning, and calling a cab.”

  “The cab will work better.”

  Lora doesn’t say anything. As we get closer to her house I can tell she’s getting nervous. She keeps repositioning her hands like a race car driver on the final lap at Daytona. It had been a little cool in the bar so I hadn’t seen what Lora had on under her coat. Sensing my attention, Lora glanced over at me in the dark. I couldn’t tell much. She ran her right hand over my thigh.

  “I’m a little nervous. I probably shouldn’t have had the coffee. Are you nervous?”

  “The Dark Lord doesn’t get nervous!”

  My gravel voiced imitation made her laugh. I’m getting a kick out of this Dark Lord business. I think I’ll start practicing a few skits on Tommy. He’ll probably have me committed the second time I try it on him.

  “My apologies, Dark Lord.” Lora inclines her head slightly again in mock deference to my Dark Lord while turning onto Wiley. “Thanks for the laugh. I was getting a little up tight there. Maybe a glass of wine since I won’t be going anywhere would be a good idea.”

  “Sounds right to me. Put on a little music and we’ll hang out. There’s no need to get mental. I’m enjoying your company. If you have second thoughts I’ll crash on your couch and I promise to still consider hiring you. How’s that?”

  “More than fair, but you won’t have to crash on the couch, John. I’m enjoying your company more than I can say. Tess is nuts for going back to Boston.”

  “Probably pretty smart, Lora. You’d be smart to stay the hell away from me too.”

  The more I thought about what Tess had endured since meeting up with me, the more right her going to Boston seemed. Lora might be attracted to me; but she didn’t get stunned and tied up one night, and then kidnapped by terrorists soon after. I’d say Tess gave me as much a chance as any sane human could. I didn’t want her dead because of me. For that matter, I don’t want Lora and Alice put in danger because of me. Lora seems a perfect fit for my business but I plan on being a hell of a lot more careful with inadvertent consequences. Lora parked her car in the driveway of a nice little white stucco house with an overgrown lawn and a few unhealthy looking plants. She turned off the car and took my hand.

  “C’mon in with me. I’ll see if I can make you forget about Tess and today’s events.”

  I leaned toward her for a friendly kiss before we went in. The soft surrendering feel of Lora’s lips, coupled with her slight breathy murmur of desire touched off something inside me… something right like rain on a warm summer’s night. I felt her arms encircle and clutch me with an answering passion of need that had us both fumbling like teenagers over the Toyota’s center console. Lora pushed away, breathless and gripping the front of my windbreaker.

  “Come inside now,” Lora whispered, before breaking away to launch out of the driver’s side as she fumbled for her keys while stumbling toward the house.

  I followed, wondering if that jolt in the car had been the Bud and Beams or something more – something I didn’t know if I recognized or had experience with. Tess moved me. I cared for her and we were attracted in an intense way, but nothing like what hit me just now in the Toyota. No sense picking it apart. Inside Lora’s house, it had the look of a house with an eight-year-old living there. Everything was a little jumbled – neat but jumbled.

  “Have a seat anywhere, John,” Lora called out from a bedroom at the end of the hallway on my left. “I’ll be right out.”

  I walked in the living-room and shed my windbreaker. Sitting down on the sofa, I looked around the dimly lit room with a fireplace, flat-screen TV, and the usual furnishings. Alice’s plaques and trophies from school decorated the mantelpiece. They give kids trophies for walking upright nowadays to enhance their self-esteem. Most of the kids know it’s all a put-on. They seem to know instinctively if everyone gets a prize there’s not much special about it. I heard Lora walking down the hallway so I stood up to meet her.

  Lora grinned nervously at me because I know my mouth had dropped open momentarily. She wore only a black chemise made of what looked like silk. It clung to her in elegant closeness from a little above her nipples to the bottom of where panties would be if she had any on. She didn’t. Two thin black straps held it in place from her shoulders. The black high heels Lora posed with for me brought the top of her head up to about my chin. When I didn’t move she glided to me and slipped my pullover up and off me.

  “Holy hell!” Lora ran her hands over my multi-colored ribcage which actually was looking a lot better than a day ago. “Are… are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. That guy in the bar got his licks in too.”

  Lora undid my belt and opened my jeans. “Did you get damaged anywhere else? Should I be gentle with… oh my.”

  I shed my jeans and underwear slowly after kicking off my shoes. With the clothing kicked aside, Lora started forward but I held her at arm’s length before brushing the straps of her chemise off shoulder so it drifted down into a pile at her feet. I drew her to me until only her nipples brushed against my chest. She moaned breathlessly, allowing me to meet her lips in a caress with our bodies merging only in touches of light ecstasy. I felt her shiver. The same roaring need raced through me as in the car but still I held her away, savoring her panting kisses while she writhed unsuccessfully to get nearer.

  “Please…” Lora whispered against my lips.

  Yep, I was in trouble.

  * * *

  The next couple months of my life I remained joined at the hip to Lora. I fell so fast and hard it felt like days. Myriad events such as guarding Samira Karim, terrorist cell arrests, Jafar’s facing a visiting Badee Karim with a marriage proposal for his daughter’s hand, and Lora taking over every aspect of my newly minted business and crew were a blur to me. The woman ordered us all around with such organizational preciseness even Tommy went through her when a question arose concerning a client or job.

  Lora handled Denny like a grade-school kid, synching our business interests where they intersected with the government as if she had done a stint at the Pentagon rather than a congressional internship. Her polite, firm profe
ssionalism mixed with near clairvoyant situational foresight had Denny trying to steal her away from me after only a couple months dealing with her.

  Because the alphabet soup agencies drifted in and out of our area while tying up loose ends in the ongoing terrorist roundup from the Chardin affair, I was forced with my other agency employees Lucas and Casey to act as liaisons with attitude. When a rough takedown was on tap we were called in as consultants. Lora kept me in the game without becoming involved in details not in her pay-grade. Unlike Tess she showed no interest whatsoever in anything other than the parameters of contacting me and coordinating where I had to be.

  True to her word, Lora had found a small firm of three lawyers who jumped at the chance of a steady retainer handling our legal dealings in bond cases. Tess impressed me with her skill. Lora stunned me with her talent. Instinctively steering us after the first month under Tommy’s tutelage, she rarely needed to consult with us on what to take in or what to charge. Best of all she had a passion for her work.

  Jafar and I made sure Alice was anywhere and everywhere she needed to be when Lora couldn’t be on hand. We were registered through the school to pick her up. The rest of my crew loved Lora. She kept them apprised of every aspect involving a client by updating their PDA’s like they were CEO’s instead of leg-breakers… I mean bond enforcement officers and bodyguards. They looked to her for everything after a month. She was irreplaceable after two.

  Lora dived right into our extracurricular activity: backstreet fighting gigs. After a couple months training and healing I agreed to a match with an undefeated up-and-comer Bonasera and Alexander paid me the agreed on big money up front to fight. Lora insisted on being there to shadow Tommy, watching his every movement making bets and handling people. She enjoyed the hell out of it. As far as worrying about me, she adopted Tommy’s attitude of ‘if you can’t do anything about what someone does, kick back and enjoy it – and be ready if they get their head handed to them’. She also talked us into having the entourage I’d have when fighting in the UFC on hand so for the first time I had a corner crew of Tommy, Devon, Jesse, and Jafar.