“If I find someone of interest,” Connor replied, “I can send him along, but my first concern will be the safety of those girls. I will have to provide Pierre’s operation overseas with a final chapter. I do not want one word to go out about what I plan to do after I leave. No one will be alive there to send out a warning.”
“Agreed. Do you want help there?”
“No,” Connor said, “because I want no one else brought into this before I need their help with the girls.”
“I expect you will let me know when you are ready to coordinate this,” Quenton said. “I will contact Mr. Haynes and get him into transition today.”
“Good,” Connor replied. “Once he gets solidly in, I will go and get the list of names so he can begin figuring out our resources in the different areas. Take care Derek, and say hello to Kim for me.”
“I will Thomas, goodbye for now.”
Connor returned to work on the limousine he and Jeremiah were doing maintenance on. Jeremiah looked up from underneath the car at his boss, who seemed distracted.
“You okay Mr. Connor?”
“Yea, I just have a lot to do in the next couple of months, and I am doing a little daydreaming. You do not seem to need me on this anyway so I am content to watch,” Connor explained.
“This stuff is easy. I am looking forward to doing diagnostics,” Jeremiah said.
“Maintenance must be done religiously,” Connor pointed out. “We will not have to do much diagnosis work if we keep up on our scheduled maintenance.”
“I know, but we plan on fixing other peoples’ cars here in the future. I just want to be ready,” Jeremiah concluded.
“You will be,” Connor replied. “One step at a time my young friend.”
The young man got up off of the creeper he was on and wiped his hands on a rag. “I have an older brother named Jim Mr. Connor. Could I recruit him to work for us?”
“I do not see why not. We will certainly need more help. How old is he?” Connor asked.
“Nineteen.”
“Has he been in trouble?” Connor continued.
“Mostly the same kind as the rest of us. He.”
“Do not tell me anything illegal he has done,” Connor interrupted. “Are you sure he wants to go legit?”
“Yes Sir, he wants out of the stuff he does now. He got caught up with a loan shark and he.”
“How much?” Connor interrupted again.
“Five thousand and growing,” Jeremiah answered.
Connor nodded. “I can buy him out of that if you think he can become dedicated.”
“I know he can Mr. Connor. My Mom’s worried they will kill him, or he will go to prison doing the things he’s doing for them,” Jeremiah explained.
“Well, no time like the present to take this vehicle out for a test drive. Do you think we can find your brother and then go over and take care of the loan sharks?” Connor asked.
“Can I call him?”
“You have your own phone,” Connor acknowledged. “Go for it. I’ll go check on Jeff, and see if he will watch the shop while we go do some hiring.”
Connor went in where Jeff sat at the controls of Attila, monitoring Luke and Sammy on the video feed, while keeping track of traffic conditions. Barf sat next to Jeff watching the screen with him. Connor walked over and petted Barf on the head.
“Can you watch things while Jeremiah and I go and recruit his brother?” Connor asked.
“Sure Mr. Connor,” Jeff looked up briefly. “Sammy and Luke are having no problems at all. Jeremiah told me he was going to ask you about Jim. He sure took his time about it.”
“You know anything about the loan shark outfit?”
“Sure, only a fool would borrow money off of them,” Jeff replied.
Connor laughed. “Sometimes it seems like a better idea at the start of the loan. We do need more help.”
“Jim’s a good man Mr. Connor. He just makes bad choices sometimes.”
“We will have to try and cure that,” Connor said. “I will see you when I get back.”
Jeff looked up again. “Mr. Connor, those guys will be packin’. I know it won’t mean much to you, but I thought you should know.”
“Thanks Jeff. I will be careful. See you in a little while.”
Jeff nodded and went back to his screen, as Barf came over and put his head in Jeff s lap. Connor went out to find Jeremiah had already backed the limo out of the garage, and closed the doors. Connor stopped in his room and took out some money.
Nate would be happy if he got back and no one died, Connor smiled to himself. He stopped long enough to put his suit coat back on, and adjusted his tie. With the money in his suit coat pocket, Connor left the building, and slid into the back of the limousine. Jeremiah drove off towards his house.
Thirty minutes later, Jeremiah’s brother rode in the back of the limousine with Connor. Jim looked at Connor, who sat up straight, looking ahead, smiling. Jeremiah glanced at them in the rear view mirror. He could tell Jim was not impressed with the boss, and he sighed thinking of all the time he had spent trying to explain things to him.
“What are you smiling at,” Jim asked Connor, with just a little attitude creeping into his voice. “You think money can buy me out of this thing, but I got news for you. Jeremiah thinks you can do anything. These guys eat people like you.”
Connor looked over at Jim, and he was no longer smiling. Jim looked into the eyes the gang who had killed and tortured Connor’s wife and daughter looked into hours before they died. He looked into them, and he looked away quickly, and put his head down.
“I.I’m sorry Mr. Connor,” he began, “I just don’t see what good it will do to get you killed too.”
“Your brother says you are a good man Jim,” Connor said, “and so did one of my other employees. That means something to me, because I respect their judgment. I was smiling; because I could tell you were looking at me, wondering what this old white punk thought he was going to do. We will work this out Jim, and then you will owe me some money. I need more help at my business, but I do not need cheap thugs. I plan on helping you out of this with no strings attached. You can walk away free and clear, or you can come to work for me, and pay back the money you will owe me. What will it be?”
Jim stayed silent for a moment, and he looked up front at his brother. He remembered the look on his Mom’s face that night when she looked at Jeremiah, and met this man, who told her what a great job Jeremiah was doing. She had looked at his younger brother as she had never looked at him before. Jim wanted her to look at him like that.
“I want to work for you Mr. Connor, if you will have me.”
Connor smiled again, and held out his hand, which Jim took. “Good, I had hoped you would say that.”
Jeremiah pulled up in front of a clean looking building with darkened windows. The lighted sign on the front said Capital Loans.
“Stay with the car Jer,” Connor said. “Jim and I will handle this part.”
“Should I call Mr. Johnson?”
“No, we won’t be long. Come on Jim.”
Connor led the way inside. Once past the entryway, Connor noticed the business office look the place had. One long counter with glass to the ceiling, like in a bank, separated the entrance area from the desks and rooms in the back of the place. The man at the counter looked up from the book he had been reading. He saw Connor and smiled. When he saw Jim, the smile disappeared.
“Boy, where have you been? We had business to take care of this morning.” He stood up to his full height of somewhere near six feet five inches tall, and around two hundred and fifty pounds. His head was shaved clean as well as his face. His face bore scars from what Connor figured to be from a boxing career some time in his past.
“I have come with Jim here to straighten out his debt with you,” Connor said. “If you’ll just tell me the amount, I will pay you, and you can write us up a paid in full receipt.”
The man’s face darkened. “Who the fuck are you? Yo
u think you can buy people like some kind of plantation owner?”
“No,” Connor replied smiling. “I actually have no intention of using Jim here to steal cars, run numbers, sell drugs, or pick cotton. Jim says he probably owes you in excess of five thousand dollars. Just let me know what the figure is.”
By this time four other men had come out of the back room, all black, and all over six feet tall. Connor noticed bulges under all of their coats. The man Connor had been talking to went over and opened up the door through the glass partition, and motioned for Connor and Jim to come in the back with him. Jim tried to pull Connor back; but Connor just motioned him to calm down, and followed the man’s lead.
The back room looked like a play area, with a pool table and card table. There were four small piles of chips, and some cards strewn around. “Not only are you gentlemen packing illegal firearms,” Connor pointed out, “but you seem to be gambling illegally too. Someone should call the police and report this.”
Connor heard Jim gasp behind him, as the five men burst into laughter. The man with the clean-shaven head clapped Connor on the shoulder good-naturedly, shaking his head. “You are alright man, now what’s this about Jim here?”
“I wish to buy his contract,” Connor replied. “How much?”
“Ten thousand.”
“But. “ Jim interrupted, only to have Connor turn and hold up his hand to him in a quieting gesture.
Connor turned back, and took the sheaf of money he had out of his inner suit coat pocket. He counted out ten one thousand dollar bills on the table. As the men looked between the money on the table, and the still thick wad in his hand, Connor again turned to his original greeter. “May I have a receipt?”
The man laughed again, and went back out to his desk. When he returned, he handed Connor a receipt. Connor looked at it and nodded. He turned to walk back out the way they had come in, and gestured Jim out first.
“Just out of curiosity,” The bald man said, “what do you think your chances of walking out of here with all that money might be if I didn’t think ten grand was enough?”
The blur of movement confused them all. The men were jostled and something brushed by all of them, and then they heard a bang as all of their guns were thrown onto the card table. They all reached for what they no longer had, and then looked at the table, and again at Connor, who smiled at them from the doorway.
“Pretty good actually.” Connor again stopped smiling. “I hope you gentlemen realize Mr. Decker and his family are under my protection. He will be working for me from now on. If you have any further business with him, you will please address it to me.”
The bald man looked unbelievingly at the pile of hardware on the table and back at Connor. “I understand.”
Connor smiled again, waving as he turned back, and followed Jim out of the office, and over to the limousine. Jeremiah was standing next to the passenger side door. He saw Connor and his brother come out of the building and toward the car. His brother looked gray, and he was breathing hard. Connor was still smiling, pleased at himself for not having wrecked any havoc at all. He stopped in front of Jeremiah.
“I wish your brother could drive so I could now say, home James.”
Jeremiah laughed, and Connor joined him. Jim looked at the two, and laughed nervously, as he glanced back at the office. Connor opened the rear door for him, and followed him into the backseat. Jeremiah went around to the driver’s side, started the car, and headed back to the business. Jim stayed quiet all the way back. Connor relaxed, thinking of how surprised Nate would be that he did not have to kill anyone.
They pulled up inside the garage because Nate, Henry, and Joseph were back from their driving lesson, and the doors were already open. Jeremiah shut off the car as the rest of the crew came out to greet them, with Nate in the lead. Nate opened up the back door for Jim and Connor.
“Okay Thomas, where do I send housekeeping, and how many bodies?”
“I am shocked, shocked I tell you,” Connor replied in mock surprise. “What makes you think there would be bodies my good man? This gentleman is Jeremiah’s older brother Jim. Jim say hello to my partner Nate Johnson.”
Nate shook Jim’s hand, and clapped him on the shoulder. “Welcome aboard Jim. You certainly had an unusual employee interview.” Nate then turned back to Thomas, as the rest of the crew came over to take Jim around the place.
“Come on Mutie, spill it,” Nate ordered.
Connor told him how he had handled it with breaks for laughter. “Oh man, that’s good Thomas. You got that out of Crocodile Dundee II, didn’t
you?”
“I had to adlib a little,” Connor said, “because I don’t think throwing a knife would have impressed these guys.”
“You think they will give Jim anymore trouble?” Nate asked.
“If they do, I will have to send over ‘Don’ Johnson to deal with them,” Connor replied.
“I would not go so easy with them; and I am afraid by the time they knew I was there, they would all be dead.”
“Not very subtle there ‘Don’,” Connor observed.
Nate smiled. “Did I ever claim to be subtle? Greg called from Langley. He’s already over there taking a look around. He said he would call you as soon as his confirmation goes through. That boy really sounded excited. Maybe you were right about him.”
“I better be,” Connor replied, “or I will surely get a couple of those girls killed later on. These have to be smooth operations. Even I cannot shield them from automatic weapons fire.”
“Karen called.”
“Oh boy,” Connor sighed.
“I don’t even think she believed me when I told her you were out on business,” Nate laughed. “She probably rushed out to make sure that Kathy woman was still in the building. I think you will definitely have to send her to the special place to work this out of her system.”
“Very funny, how did Luke and Sammy do today?” Connor asked, changing the subject.
“Outstanding so far,” Nate replied, “according to Jeff. They aren’t back yet, but I expect them in an hour or so.”
“Do we have two more drivers for tomorrow?”
“I think the driving part will be fine,” Nate told him. “We just need to reinforce their customer skills. I think we should send them out together tomorrow for the day, like we did for Luke and Sammy.”
“Yea, good idea,” Connor agreed. “I guess we better get in there and get to work on them.”
“Don’t forget Thomas, Karen will be over, and she won’t be happy.”
“Gee, what would I do without you to remind me of things Nate?”
Chapter 27 The Missions
Karen walked into the front entrance of the business, and was greeted by Barf, who had been given the run of the place after closing. Jeremiah and a young man she did not recognize came around from the garage area. They were wiping their hands on shop rags.
“Hi Dr. Blakely,” Jeremiah greeted her. “This is my older brother Jim. He started working for us today.”
Jim smiled at her in lieu of holding out a greasy hand. He waved it a little instead. “Nice meeting you Dr. Blakely.”
“Nice to meet you too Jim. I hope you like it here.”
“I love it here. Mr. Johnson will be taking me out with Jer tomorrow for a lesson in the limo.”
Karen nodded smiling. “Good deal, do you know where Thomas is Jeremiah?”
“Ah. I think he and Mr. Johnson are reviewing the tapes for today, and going over them with the rest of the crew. He told me to tell you to go home, he does not feel well today,” Jeremiah said uneasily.
Karen laughed. “Come over and open the door to Attila for me, so I can see that snake in person.”
“I.I can’t do that Doctor. You can knock, but I would get into trouble if I let you in there. You know how he feels about security.”
“I know,” Karen said. “I will knock. You guys go on back to work. Nice meeting you Jim.”
“Same her
e Doctor,” Jim said.
Karen walked over, and knocked on the security door to the super computer room. She waited a few moments, and then knocked again. After a moment, she looked back to see Jim and Jeremiah, still standing in the office, watching her. Jeremiah pointed up at the top of the door. Karen looked up, and saw the camera. A voice came over the intercom.
“I saw that Jer,” Connor said, as Karen listened to Nate’s braying laughter in the background.
Jeremiah tugged on his brother’s arm, and waved at Karen. “Sorry Dr. Blakely, we have to go now.”
Karen looked up into the camera. “Open this door little pigs, or I will huff, and I will puff, and I will blow your door down.”
The door opened, and Connor came out sheepishly. Karen heard the laughter coming from the room. He closed the door behind him. “Hi Karen, nice to see you.”
“I guess you talked to Nate.”
“He did mention telling you about an unfortunate practical joke I played on him,” Connor answered.
“Yes he did,” Karen replied, “involving a certain bimbo from the Center.”
“Hologram.”
“A projection of a real life image of someone we both know,” Karen continued. “Apparently you cannot get Kathy out of your head.”
“No, apparently you cannot get Kathy out of your head.”
Connor watched Karen’s face tighten, and then she chuckled. “I am getting out of control in your eyes, aren’t I?”
Connor shrugged. “Since I have not seen Kathy since she sat at my table at the Center, I have a hard time understanding your concern. Now you have me entertaining my employees with my school boy angst over having you mad at me.”
“What would you do if you saw me hanging on another man? How would you react?” Karen asked.
“You have seen no one hanging on me,” Connor pointed out, “and if I cannot stand up to comparison, then I would leave you alone until you contacted me.”
“It would seem to be a futile endeavor trying to make you jealous then,” Karen concluded.
“Pretty much,” Connor agreed, “but it does not mean you can’t hurt me. I guess you will have to just get over yourself, and accept me for what I am.”
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