“No,” Whitney picked up the pen. “Will I live if I do this?”
Connor smiled. “You are in a position unsuitable for bargaining Gordie. Do as I tell you.”
Connor watched him work on the list for the next twenty minutes. As he started to put down the pen, Connor stopped him. “Sign at the bottom Gordie.”
Whitney signed his name at the bottom of the final page. Connor took the pad and returned it to his suit coat pocket. “Can you hold Gordie here incognito Derek?”
“Of course, but what will we need him here for?”
“Just as a hedge against some final touches I may have to put on an idea I have in mind,” Connor told him. “He can never go to court anyway.”
“No,” Quenton agreed, “but we do have a tribunal in the intelligence services to handle rogue agents, or in Whitney’s case, directors.”
“Good,” Connor nodded. “Can you put him away for now, while we finish our meeting?”
Derek reached under the table again and hit another switch. A minute later two armed guards came into the room. “Take this man out and get him into prison garb. Then put him into the solitary confinement wing. Do not allow him access to anyone or anything. If you have any trouble with him at all, call me immediately.”
The two guards got Whitney up without any acknowledgement other than a nod. Connor waited for the door to close behind the men as they left. He turned to Quenton. “I want Nate in with me Derek. Can you get him transferred into our department? He will be working exclusively with me on special status. You should have some pull when you break this open.”
“I will have far more power than you think Thomas. You have removed everyone between me, and the top. I had my suspicions. When I asked if you could check on some of the meetings, I was afraid of something gone awry. I never thought it included the entire directorship. You have done an incredible job Thomas. No offence to your friend Nate here, but what would you want with an assassin?”
“Nate here will no longer be working as an assassin,” Connor replied. “He may have to kill someone while working with me, but he will no longer be doing wet work.”
“Very well then,” Quenton agreed. “What do you have in mind for him, if I may ask?”
“Nate will be running something on the outside for me I am setting up. We will be partners as such, and he will also be doing some intelligence gathering for me.”
“I will take care of the paperwork for his transfer. The CIA Director may hire an outside group to oversee our work, but I doubt it. His experiment, with Whitney and his cohorts as oversight for this department, has failed. He will be relieved when I show him just how close to disaster we came. I will not even ask what you have planned for those account numbers and contacts.”
“You are getting very good at this Derek,” Connor laughed. “Nate and I have to be going now. We have an appointment with our outside business crew. I need to show him the ropes as such. If things work out, I will be moving out of here within the next few days. I will let you know my next move on Pierre.”
“What about me?” Karen asked.
“After last night,” Connor replied, “I think we need to stay careful until I get things organized on the outside. Nate and I will pick you up here after you get off work. I will know more by then. You know the danger, so I will leave it to you as far as the risk goes.”
“Just so you do not plan on leaving me out.”
“Not likely,” Connor smiled. “Derek will need a Chief of Staff now he can trust.”
Derek nodded, “Thomas has thinned our ranks out considerably Karen. If the Director can be convinced of my potential in this department, I will indeed need a liaison Thomas and I both trust.”
“Sounds right, I can go with you right now to present your case. They will be finding out about the warehouse very soon. You and I could break the news to the Director before he reads it in the newspaper.”
Quenton stood up and shook hands with Nate again. “Welcome aboard Nate. I hope you will not regret your decision to join us.”
Nate laughed. “Compared to what I have been doing, I at least will know I am on the right side.”
“You have my number Thomas. If I have any further news on this other business, I will let my Chief of Staff fill you in on it.”
“Careful Derek, Dr. Blakely’s got a problem with arrogance already, don’t encourage her.”
“Why you uncouth toad,” Karen laughed. “When I get approved for sure, I will be over you.”
Connor shrugged at Derek, “you see what I mean? Come on Nate, I have some young men for you to meet as soon as I get changed. We will have to get you a new wardrobe too.”
“Ready when you are Bwana.”
Connor accompanied Nate to the clothing store he had used the day before. Two hours later, Nate walked out with Connor, dressed in a conservative three-piece suit. Connor carried some of the bags Nate could not manage on his own.
“I never knew you were such a clothes horse Thomas.”
“Me?” Connor said in surprise. “I bought half of what you bought. We will need this and more though to keep up appearances. We have some time to kill. Let’s store this stuff and go get some coffee. I’ll tell you about our new line of work.”
“A limousine service, run by a bunch of poor black inner city youths, who just happened to pass by, and tried to carjack you.” Nate began laughing, and he continued until the tears started rolling down his cheeks, as other patrons of the coffee shop began to stare at them. Connor could not hold a straight face. He helplessly joined his friend. Finally Nate regained enough composure to take a sip of his coffee.
“Thomas, the astronomers think Uranus occupies a far spot in our galaxy. You, my friend, are way, way out beyond that.”
“Will you give this a chance or not?” Connor asked seriously.
“You have the money to back a play like this?”
“I am fixed with as much money as you or I will ever need,” Connor informed him. “I have confiscated many accounts of ill-gotten gains, and plan to confiscate even more before I am done.”
“I heard from Whitney what you are capable of buddy.”
“Forget all that Nate. This deal will always be legitimate. I want you in with me. Do you have anyone now?”
“I have a wife and a little boy. I married her shortly after we got broken up after Lebanon.”
“You were in the hospital a long time Nate. They shipped my butt out before I even made it in to see you up and walking.”
“Took me six months to get on my feet,” Nate said, leaning back, “and while I did desk duty for the following four months, I met Claire.”
“Jesus Nate, and you took a chance on marriage,” Connor needled him. “Never would have figured you to do that after the way you used to talk about how crazy I was for doing it.”
“I was crazy to do it, but I just had to have something else besides the job,” Nate admitted. “My wife Claire knows what I am. She worked for the agency. I have an eight year old, Nathaniel Johnson Jr. now, because she took a chance. I would sell my soul to give them a real life.”
“Excellent Nate. The good news is you will not have to sell your soul. If you do not want in, I will get you retired out of the agency. I will set you up for life with no strings attached. You just have to keep quiet about all that you have heard and seen.”
“You’re serious?” Nate asked incredulously.
“You know me well enough to know I never go back on my word,” Connor replied. “I give you my word.”
“I thought you just wanted me to help you whack some guys,” Nate said, “or help you gather some information. I have no experience with running a business.”
“We’ll learn together. I know a lot about it. I just have not had a chance to put it into practice until now. We are due to meet with these young gentlemen out there in the parking lot in a few minutes. Would you like to come?”
Nate watched his former partner for a moment. “Okay Thomas, let’
s have a look at your new recruits, but I ain’t signing on to run some kind of Mod Squad.”
“These kids have a lot of savvy,” Connor told him. “I want to see if I can get a first class limo service going, and use it as a legitimate front for any serious computer hacking or investigation I need done. We will work on all the vehicles in shop. We will teach them how to drive them, fix them, and interact with people.”
“Well, that does sound like a lifetime’s worth of work,” Nate chuckled, “but what the hell?”
“You won’t regret this Nate. Come on.” Connor got up, paid the bill, and led the way out of the Mall coffee shop. Out in the parking lot, Connor stopped Nate. Nate saw him looking at the right side of the parking lot, where a small group of blacks were standing around a parked car.
“Those the guys Thomas?”
“Yea, but those two pimp looking pricks do not belong with them. It looks like they have been roughing up my employees too.”
Nate saw the cold look come over his friend’s face. “Take it easy Thomas. We can deal with this.”
“I know Nate. I just wanted this to start well.” Connor looked at his friend and smiled. “Well, you want to go say hi?”
“I would not miss this for the world Bwana,” Nate replied.
As they walked across the parking lot towards the group, they were spotted. The two men dressed in suits, and wide brimmed hats, stepped forward, and put their hands inside of the suit coats they wore. They waited until Thomas and Nate were within ten feet before speaking.
“That’s far enough. I hear tell you been recruitin’ my boys here right out from under my nose,” the shorter man said.
Connor looked around at the young men. They were all avoiding his eyes. Nate walked over to the teen Connor had knocked out, and looked him over. He turned the young man’s head from side to side. “I recognize this work,” Nate chuckled. “When my friend asks you if you have ever seen a movie, you always answer yes, even if you never saw it. Which was it young blood, Billy Jack?”
The young man nodded. “How did you know?”
“You ain’t the first, I.”
“Shut the fuck up,” The taller black shouted. He was almost as tall as Nate, with a lot heavier build. Nate turned around to face him.
“Are you talking to me ‘Super Fly’?”
The man drew his pistol part way out from the holster inside his coat. His companion watched Connor. “I should just pop your funky asses. Get the fuck out of here while I’m in a good mood.”
A split second, and a blur of motion later, Connor held both men’s guns in his hands. The two men looked down at their empty holsters, and then at each other. The one in the front put up his hands and looked at Nate.
“Say blood, we don’t want no trouble.”
Nate stayed quiet as Connor moved in between his friend, and the two thugs. He handed the two guns to the teen he had kicked the day before. The teen looked at them, and then stuck them in his pants. “You will have to address me. The ‘Don’ here does not speak with common street trash like you and your companion,” Connor informed him.
“Shoot this cracker Sammy,” the man ordered the teen. The teen named Sammy backed further away, shaking his head. The other young men backed away from the two thugs also.
Connor looked over at the boys. “Which of these bad men roughed you guys up?”
The youngest stepped forward. “Both of them. They said they would kill us if we had anymore to do with you. They were going to show us how to handle someone like you. They meant to kill you.”
Connor looked back to the two thugs, who had begun to move away. “Well, it seems you two have been interfering with the legitimate business these young gentlemen were conducting on my behalf. Something will have to be broken on each of you in payment.”
As the last word came out, another blur of motion preceded two sickening cracks, and the screams of the two men, who were now lying at Connor’s feet, both with broken right arms. They sat whimpering as they cradled their injured arms. Connor knelt down next to them.
“Hear this amigos, and spread the word. These young men are under my protection, along with anyone they recruit on my behalf. We will be doing legitimate business only. Anyone interfering again with the ‘Don’s’ business will be hunted down, tortured, and dumped. On a personal note, if I ever see either of you two miscreants again, you will pray for death like a lover in the night. I do not know who you two work for; but make sure they stay far away from my operation, because the warnings are over. Nod your heads if you understand.”
Both men nodded their heads in agony. Connor straightened up, and turned again to his young charges. “Have you boys had anything to eat?”
They looked at one another and then the youngest again spoke up. “No Sir.”
Connor smiled, and looked at Nate. “Well ‘Don’ Johnson, what say I treat the boys here to a business lunch in a quiet place, where we can form our business plan together?”
Nate straightened his coat, and nodded aristocratically. “I think a luncheon would be an exceptional place for this meeting Mr. Connor. Shall we adjourn back into the restaurant, or did you have another place in mind?”
“I believe the restaurant inside will do just fine.” Connor took out his cell phone and dialed 911. He reported an accident, and then told them where to send the ambulance, and what the nature of the injuries were. He hung up, and Nate led the group towards the restaurant. Connor knelt once again beside the two men.
“Help’s on the way boys. Stay put, and when they get here, have a story ready for them, not involving my business people or me. Otherwise,” Connor made a cracking noise, “you know what will happen.”
Chapter 11 Business Meeting
Connor caught up with Nate, and then held the restaurant door open for everyone to go in. Connor went to the greeter and slipped her a hundred dollar bill. “If you can give us a table with a little privacy in your other room over there, I will make sure you have three more of these to divide amongst your co-workers, in addition to the meal expense.”
The woman’s eyes lit up, and she guided them all back into the empty banquet room. She seated them all, and then went back inside the kitchen. Within minutes, there were servers converging on the table to set up everything for the meal, and get refreshments for all of them. The young men looked on in awe at the service. The youngest started laughing as he looked around the table. He stopped abruptly when Connor looked at him curiously.
“What is your name young man?” Connor asked. “Christian name only please.”
“Jeffrey Turbin, Sir.”
“Well, Mr. Turbin, what has you laughing?”
“I would rather not say Sir.”
“We could all use a good laugh,” Connor insisted. “Go ahead, let’s hear
it.”
“I.I was just thinking Sir,” Turbin replied. “At this table, you look like the light in the forest.”
Nate burst into his braying laugh, and soon everyone at the table joined in. “I guess I do at that Mr. Turbin,” Connor allowed. “I think introductions are called for. My name is Thomas Connor. My friend and partner here has been called many things, but his parents named him Nathaniel Johnson.”
“Very funny Thomas, and I liked the ‘Don’ Johnson gig out there. You boys can call me Nate if you like.”
“Let’s start with you two older looking guys. You are brothers I take it. Christian names please, unless you have converted to the Moslem religion. Might as well give me an idea of your ages too, while we are at it.”
“I am Luke Melius, and this is Joseph. We are brothers. I will be nineteen this month. Joseph here just turned seventeen.”
“Do you boys have driver’s licenses?” Connor asked.
“Yes Sir, but don’t we need a special license for driving a limousine?” Luke asked.
“Yes,” Connor replied, “but I will handle that. How about you other three?”
“My name is Samuel Baldwin,” the teen said
, who had gotten kicked the day before. “I will be eighteen in two months, and I have a driver’s license.”
“Jeremiah Decker Sir,” the next boy said. “I am sixteen, but I do not have a license yet.”
“Henry Etheridge, Mr. Connor,” the last young man put in. “I am seventeen also, and I have my license.”
“Good, Mr. Turbin, how old are you?”
“Fifteen Sir, but I have my permit.”
“Any of you have computer experience?”
There were a chorus of affirmative answers, and Connor nodded. “Any of you work any around cars?”
“We have been working in chop shops since we were kids,” the boy named Jeffrey said.
“That’s a start, because I plan on branching out into vehicle repair too. As long as we have a fleet of Limos to look after, we may as well get into a couple of other lines of profit. Repair was a passion of mine long ago, and I plan on taking it up again. You all will rotate between driving, shop maintenance, and learning the accounting part of a business. You will also be doing some intelligence gathering under Nate’s guidance. Are there any questions so far?”
Connor looked around at the silent, intent faces. “Good, let’s get the food ordered and eaten. Then you can tell me if you came up with anything on a business for sale, which will meet our needs.”
The service and the food were excellent. Connor was pleased with the way the young men handled themselves in the restaurant. They were polite, respectful, and showed some real upbringing. They would not be starting as far down the education ladder as he had feared. Nate appeared to be really enjoying himself.
As the dishes were being cleared away, and Connor was sipping his coffee, Samuel spoke up for the first time since he gave Connor his name.
“How did you two ever get together Sir?” he asked Nate.
“You mean how did I ever get stuck with this arrogant, bone breaking, honky prick?” Nate asked.
After the laughter died down, Nate resumed his answer. “We were partnered up overseas. He carried me three miles through Beirut, Lebanon after a sniper put this furrow on the side of my head.” Nate pointed at the long, scarred line above his left ear. “He got me to a landing zone safe enough for them to pluck my big ass out.”
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