American Mutant

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “I’ll do him myself, if I find out he walks,” Nate said. “Quenton will not do that without letting us know.”

  “Not if he knows. Like I said, let’s just stay cautious with old Yee.”

  “Agreed Bwana. Get your loot together, and I’ll let you go get some food.”

  Back at the Center, Nate and Connor dropped Yee off with Quenton, who seemed to be less and less surprised at the bounty of information he received each time he saw his two operatives. They left Quenton after

  Connor cautioned him to put Yee somewhere incommunicado. In the hallway, Connor tried to get Nate to go with him and Karen to dinner again.

  “Don’t you want to come with us?”

  “I better get back to Claire, Thomas. We can have dinner together with Karen another time after we get everything going.”

  “Fine Nate. I should have thought about how late you would be getting home. We’ll get together when we can have one of the boys chauffeur us around.”

  “Sounds good Mutie, I’ll see you bright and early. Don’t forget you have to visit the Russians tonight, and see if they took the hint.”

  “Yea, I know. Karen will probably be dopey enough to want to come along.”

  “I could call you at a pre-arranged time, and give you an excuse.”

  “Thanks Nate, but I better stick with the truth.”

  “Always the best plan,” Nate agreed. “Good luck. I hope all of them split. Of course I know you will be disappointed if they did. You’ll probably have to go out and play Batman on the street to see if you can find someone else to whack. It must be hard being an evil mutant.”

  “Well, see you later Nate,” Connor replied smiling. “Your naked Kathy program awaits her ride home even as we speak.”

  Nate laughed. “Even you can’t do all you plan on and still pull that off.”

  “We’ll see,” Connor said as he turned away. “Have a nice evening Nate.”

  “Come on Thomas, you know I was just teasing.”

  “Sure Nate,” Connor waved as he walked away.

  “Okay, I’m sorry.”

  Connor made a little backwards wave as he continued walking.

  “I’ll hunt your mutant ass down, so help me God,” Nate called after him, but Connor had already rounded the corner at the end of the corridor. The few people walking by Nate heard him mumbling ‘mutant freak’ over and over as he headed out of the building.

  Chapter 16 Cementing Relationships

  Connor continued on until he found Karen’s lab again. He flashed his ID to the security guard and was waved through. He found Karen cleaning up to go home. She saw him and waved.

  “It looks like you finished on time today.”

  “You too,” Karen replied. “Anyone left alive out there?” she asked, kissing him.

  “Only the good guys.”

  Karen stepped back in mock surprise. “You have decimated Washington D.C., and all three branches of government are dead?”

  “Sarcasm can be so appealing coming from such an attractive little package. Want to get something to eat?”

  “Most definitely,” she affirmed, “but this time I will cook you dinner.”

  “Sorry Karen, but we will have to go out to dinner. I do not want you going home with me until I do some last checks on the Russians tonight.”

  “I see your point. Would you like to go somewhere inconspicuous, out of the city?”

  “Perfect.”

  “Italian?”

  “Great choice. You want to drive and then bring me back for my car,” Connor asked.

  “Sure, but what time do you need to go out?”

  “If I could be back at my car by midnight, that would be fine. Nate had to get back home, so he said we will get together after the business gets up and running.”

  “I really like Nate.”

  “He’s the best,” Connor agreed. “Just don’t tell him I said so. Let’s eat.”

  Later, Connor gaped at the inside of the restaurant. Old style Italian motif, including red and white checked tablecloths, and candlelight, adorned the spacious eating area. There were only ten patrons, so Karen and Connor were seated immediately. Karen ordered coffee, as did Connor. They looked over the menu together, with Karen pointing out dinners she had liked.

  “Hey, they serve Pasta di Fagioli,” Connor exclaimed. “I have not had Pasta di Fagioli since I was a teenager.”

  “What the heck is that?” Karen laughed.

  “It’s a bean type soup,” Connor replied.

  The waiter came up and Karen ordered Fettuccini Alfredo, while Connor ordered Pasta di Fagioli, and a salad.

  “Leave it to you to pick the most obscure thing on the menu,” Karen said.

  “Obscure is my middle name.”

  “I saw in your records you were born in Ohio.”

  “Guilty,” Connor admitted.

  “You didn’t like Ohio?”

  “I liked the people, but I love California weather. We may have to branch out into California. Washington D.C. weather reminds me of Ohio.”

  “You have family in Ohio. Do you think of them?”

  “They think I’m dead, and I plan on leaving it that way. My parents died years ago.”

  “Do you remember much about growing up?”

  Connor chuckled and shook his head.

  “What?”

  “I just remembered a name my Father called me. When my brother and I were young, we always carried on after we were sent upstairs to bed. My Dad would yell, and we’d be quiet for a few minutes, and then start back up again. Pretty soon we would hear him on the steps. We got real quiet, but he opens our bedroom door, leans on the knob, looks right at me, and says, ‘well, Terror of Beal Street’. Naturally my brother and I start laughing like hell. Pretty soon he’s cracking up too. He just gives up and leaves. After that, my brother told everyone I was the Terror of Beal Street, which got shortened to Terror.”

  “You have certainly lived up to that name,” Karen commented.

  “Thanks.”

  The waiter brought their meal, and then left them alone. Connor tasted his soup, and his whole face lit up. “Good Lord Karen, this tastes as good as my Mother’s.”

  “I am glad you like it. I will get the recipe and make it for you.”

  “I will have to keep you around if you learn to cook Pasta di Fagioli,” Connor said.

  “I’m counting on it Terror.”

  “Uh oh,” Connor sighed. “I should never have told you that one.”

  “I’m glad you did,” Karen replied. “It makes you more human.”

  “I am human.”

  “Sometimes I wonder,” Karen said thoughtfully.

  “I love having dinner with you.” Connor said.

  “I love you Thomas. Get used to that fact. I.”

  They heard a commotion and then a man was shouting. “Get on the floor now,” he screamed. He fired a burst from the AK47 he carried into the ceiling. Everyone dived to the floor. As Karen looked towards Connor, he no longer sat next to her. She heard a strangling noise and looked back in time to see Connor crushing the man’s neck. The AK47, Connor already held in his hand, he put on the floor. An instant later, Connor sat next to her again. In the midst of the screaming, Connor took three one hundred dollar bills out and put them under the corner of his coffee cup plate. He guided Karen up, and out of the restaurant, quickly past the still stunned people. Karen could see the man’s head was at a weird angle. Sirens wailed in the background as they found Karen’s car and left the parking lot.

  “I can’t take you anywhere,” Karen said.

  “Never a dull moment with the Terror of Beal Street.”

  “Are you getting faster?”

  “I think so. Practice makes perfect.”

  “We will have to change your name from Terror to The Flash.”

  “Let’s go back to the Center and I will show you something I am very slow at.”

  “Ooooooh, desert after all.”

  “Ye
s, but I will be the only one eating.”

  “Terror!”

  “You will do better than that,” Connor promised.

  Thomas lay in his room at the Center, with his hands behind his head, watching Karen get dressed. They had taken a shower together and ended up in bed again. She smoothed her skirt as she looked up to see him watching her. She came over to the bed and sat next to him, leaning over to kiss him tenderly. She felt him again become aroused, and she stood up quickly.

  “Terror!”

  Connor laughed. “So, I guess one for the road is out, huh?”

  “You were the one with work to do, remember?”

  “Shit,” Connor sat up looking at the clock. “It’s already 11:45.”

  “You seem to be getting more human all the time there Terror.”

  Connor stood up, kissed Karen goodbye, and escorted her to the door. “Sorry to rush you, but I have to get moving.”

  “Will you call me later when you get done?”

  “Sure, but it will be late though,” Connor warned.

  “I don’t care. Do you have my number?” Karen asked.

  “I have everything about you,” Connor answered.

  “That’s scary.”

  “Get moving,” Connor ordered. “I’ll talk to you in a couple of hours.”

  Karen kissed him lightly and left. Connor dressed quickly and headed to the first address on his list. The man’s apartment building lay in an upscale residential area. He saw a list of tenants near the entranceway, and picked out his target. Leaning on the door, Connor slowly pushed on the knob until it broke inward through the jamb. He wanted this to look like a burglary.

  The man lay with a Glock 9mm next to him on the nightstand. Connor sat down on the bed, and grabbed the man by the hair with his left hand, while clamping his mouth shut with his right. The man jerked violently, but could not move.

  “Lie still John. Why haven’t you left the city? Didn’t you get the message?” Connor released his mouth.

  “Why the fuck should I,” the man asked as he made a grab for the Glock. He screamed as Connor broke his hand at the wrist and then his neck.

  Connor stood up, realizing it would be another long night.

  Karen awoke suddenly, sensing she was not alone. She started to sit up, but an arm reached around her tightly.

  “Honey, I’m home.” Connor whispered.

  “I thought you were going to call,” Karen said sleepily.

  “I can’t do this through the phone line,” Connor replied moving closer, yet.

  Nate made his way through the security checks at the Center, and headed towards Connor’s room. The door swung open as he approached, and he chuckled appreciatively. Connor was just putting on his suit coat.

  “Well Mutie, how smart were the Russians?”

  “I am afraid I found out last night why they lost the Cold War,” Connor informed him.

  “Did any of the retards take off?” Nate asked.

  “Not a one.”

  “Well, you had a busy night. At least those mooks won’t be setting up anywhere else,” Nate said.

  “I thought of that Nate, but I am glad you did too. None of this bunch had family with them at least. If they had, maybe a few of them would have taken off when they had the chance.”

  “At least we can begin doing something more entertaining today. Have you accumulated anymore loot ‘Long John’?”

  “Small change compared to our other hauls,” Connor replied. “I have left off from getting into the Chinese piggy bank for now. I want to let things quiet down for a couple of weeks before stirring that hornet’s nest again. Once we have our own information center set up away from prying eyes, you and I will make life miserable for these evil doers.”

  “From Wolverine to Captain America. You and Karen must have had a good time last night. I heard on the radio coming over here about a guy storming into a local restaurant with an AK47, threatening a bunch of people while firing the gun, and then he mysteriously fell and broke his neck. You wouldn’t know anything about that would you Captain?”

  “At least we finished our meal,” Connor sighed. “This, I assume was in addition to numerous reports of other mysterious deaths in the area?”

  “The police are baffled Captain. You have become more of a magnet for trouble than anyone I ever ran across. Do you think it’s safe to meet with the boys this morning?” Nate asked jokingly.

  “Nothing seems very safe anymore. When that guy popped in at the restaurant, I began to wonder if I had powered myself into a curse. Well, no use feeling sorry for myself. I wanted to make a difference, and Nate my friend, we have made some impact over the last couple of days.”

  “We have definitely made Washington D.C. a safer place to live and do business,” Nate admitted. “I am hungry. We told the boys to meet us in front of the restaurant right?”

  “Yep, but we have another hour and a half to go. I better fill Quenton in on last night’s adventure, and see how he made out with the Chinese Kingpin we brought in.”

  “Okay, but remember not to get too long winded. I am starving,” Nate complained.

  “Claire didn’t feed you this morning?”

  “We barely had time to say hi this morning. She started a new job over at a law office today.”

  “You did explain to her she would never have to work again did you not?” Connor asked.

  “Of course,” Nate sighed, “but with Nate Junior in school, she gets a little nuts. She said she needed to have something going.”

  “We could bring her in with us.”

  Nate gave Connor the Vulcan Death Stare as he started laughing. “Do not even go there Mutie. As much as I love Claire, I do not want to spend every waking moment with her.”

  “Okay, no need to get all testy with me. Let’s go see if we can find our boss.”

  Quenton sat quietly as Connor brought him up to date on the happenings since their last meeting. He jotted down some notes as Connor talked. Nate added a few points concerning the hierarchy of the Russian Mob structure he knew from past experience. When they were done briefing him, Quenton got up and walked over to his filing cabinet. He returned with two manila folders, which he placed before Connor and Nate.

  “I filled in some more of the blanks in the Chinese connection structure from Mr. Yee. As you can see, we have a number of morons at different levels in the Pentagon unwittingly supplying information to the Chinese. This tree has so many roots we may be a long time in locating them all. With the sex and drugs, they have managed to set up a huge information gathering network. I am glad you brought Yee in for me. We have already begun the arduous task of plugging our security holes.”

  “I did make it clear Mr. Yee can never get out again, right,” Connor asked.

  “Yes,” Quenton replied. “He will never see the outside again. Do the police have any plausible stories they can make up for themselves to explain your nocturnal adventures?”

  “I believe Nate and I left them with enough to fool around with. You seem a little upset Derek. Want to tell us what has you in a bad mood?”

  “I feel like I am on a freight train heading over a cliff. So much has happened in the last few days, I guess I am having trouble deciphering it all. Does it seem to you guys like we may be the only good guys around?”

  Nate laughed. “Thomas laid the same stuff on me earlier. Something has been set into motion here, and we will just have to play the hand out to the end.”

  “Nate’s right,” Connor agreed. “We can only go forward now buddy. The time to duck back down in our holes, for good or bad, has passed. Once we get our place set up away from here, we can double check each other, and watch each other’s backs. Anything we scare up we will bring to you. If you come up with something, we will go over it from our place. How are you doing with the supercomputers we talked about?”

  “Money talks Thomas,” Quenton answered smiling. “If the Red Chinese can get them, I will have them for you. I made contact with someone
in the Pentagon we found in Mr. Yee’s books. He has been very helpful since I pulled him in. I own him now. An order has been placed through legitimate sources for a setup you will find unbelievable. It surpasses anything we have here. I will need a transfer of ten million dollars to start with if you guys are really serious.”

  “You got it,” Connor replied. “Will that Senator cover for us on the appropriations committee? We will still need someone to allay suspicions.”

  “I got him on board first before I ever approached my Pentagon man,” Quenton replied. “Will you have the building ready for the delivery in anywhere from a few days to two weeks?”

  “You can get them that quick,” Nate asked stunned.

  “With the names, dates, places, and proof incorporated in what you have given me,” Quenton answered, “I doubt anything can be considered out of our reach. The power in our hands for doing the wrong thing can be staggering.”

  “Nate and I will keep you straight, and you can do the same for us. We will not screw this up Derek. It may take some getting used to, but we are only at the beginning. Perhaps by the time we see this through, we will have people in power unafraid of anything we know.”

  “I am not sure even we can get that far, but what the hell, we can try. Will you be able to transfer the money tomorrow to the department’s account Thomas?” Quenton asked.

  “I will do it late this afternoon, after Nate and I get a chance to spend some time with our new employees.” Connor took a paper out of his briefcase and gave it to Quenton. “Can you get confirmation for me on these chauffeur’s licenses for each of the boys? I know they are not legal, but you can rest assured Nate, and I will have them road worthy before they ever get out on the streets.”

  Quenton nodded. “I will have them for you by the time you get back in this afternoon. If you want NSA ID’s for them, I will get them for you too.”

  “I appreciate that. It may be necessary later, but not until we get to work with them for a bit.” Connor stood up and shook hands with Quenton as Nate joined him.

  “I will see you later this afternoon. You watch out for yourself too Derek. It would not be far past the realm of conjecture for one of these people to figure they can simply lop off the head of the person they think lies behind their trouble.”