“I don’t care if we use a pop top.” Karen started laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“We must be the oddest couple of all time,” Karen replied.
“You always knew being with me would take some getting used to. No use in wondering what others will think about our admittedly strange union. The only question I have is whether you can handle living in mutant land?” Connor asked.
“I can no longer think of life without you near me,” Karen whispered.
“I feel the same way,” Connor said softly, “I hope it’s enough. Let’s get ready, and go see if Johnny’s restaurant pick turns out to be a good one.”
They met up with Johnny Loo a block away from the hotel. They slipped quickly onto the backseat of his car, and he drove off. He did not
stop the car until they were on a busy thoroughfare, where he pulled over to the side of the road.
“We took care of business at Pierre’s after dark. No one had been alerted to the site. You can remain in your disguise. We have an agent on sight, handling phone calls at his chateau, and anyone who might show up without invitation.”
“Good,” Connor replied. “Do we have a go for tonight?”
“I already have a team in place, and we have the estate under observation,” Johnny replied.
“Any sign of armed people or the like,” Karen asked.
“No, just a couple of guys who look like bodyguards. Nate researched this guy, and he’s connected through the Paris drug trade with Pierre. Rene Goulet runs a distribution network in the city,” Johnny continued.
“How close are these two,” Connor asked.
“They have a relationship dating back over a couple of decades,” Johnny replied.
“I guess we will not be able to sustain this charade then for very long,” Connor remarked. “I just need to find the girl. After that, the show will be all yours.”
Johnny smiled. “We will try to cause a little less destruction than the mutant menace.”
“I see you have been letting Nate color your objectivity,” Connor commented.
“After a look at Pierre’s place last night,” Johnny remarked, “I think I can determine a few things without Nate, but he did add a little color. Anyway, we will move as soon as you give the word.”
Johnny handed him a small case. “Here’s your communications setup for tonight. At eight tonight everything will be in place, and Nate will be on line with you along with my team. We will be able to hear everything you do.”
“Sounds good my friend. Drop us at the café, and I will be on line with you at eight.”
“Will you be calling this Rene guy before you go over?”
“No,” Connor answered. “My experience with announced arrivals so far has convinced me that showing up without warning might be more intelligent.”
“Yea, I saw the car you came in,” Johnny remarked. “They hit it with a round from a rocket launcher. We found the launcher, and where they fired it from. This Tina Simmons you will be picking up is only fourteen. She was thirteen when they took her. I will pick you up in a limo in front of the Le Grand at 7:45 PM tonight. I guess I lied about not driving a limo.”
Connor laughed. “Okay then, I won’t change the plan unless you let me know Goulet leaves the scene before we get started.”
Connor and Karen exited Johnny’s car at the café. They walked back to the Le Grand and ate breakfast, before going back up to their room to wait for nightfall.
Johnny picked them up at 7:45 sharp. He jumped out, and opened the door for them in full uniform. He slipped back behind the wheel, and drove off for the Aubergenville estate of Rene Goulet.
“How you guys doing?” Johnny’s voice sounded in Connor’s ear.
“Great Johnny,” Connor confirmed. “This earpiece works perfectly. One more time buddy: I get in, I get Tina, I kill Rene, I hole up with Tina and Karen until you tell me to come out.”
“That’s the plan. Sit back, we will be there soon.”
With Karen by his side, Connor rang the bell at the entrance. He looked up into the surveillance camera above the door and smiled. Moments later the door opened. A butler greeted him by name, and asked them to follow him. He led them upstairs to a spacious living room, where a fireplace blazed comfortably. A short, middle-aged bald man sat on a couch in front of the fire with a wine glass in his hand. He glanced back at Connor/Pierre and smiled.
“Come in my friend,” Goulet gestured. “What brings you here tonight, and who is your lovely friend?”
Connor looked at the butler, who in turn looked at Goulet. Goulet waved him out of the room. “I need to know where the girl is I brought you Rene. There has been some trouble.”
The man put his drink down, and stood up hurriedly. “What kind of trouble Pierre?”
“Nothing monumental Rene. I just need to ask her a question. Her parents have been persistent in finding her, and I need to know how I can get to them. My associate here will be handling the matter for me.”
Goulet looked at him for a moment before nodding. “I have her in the room next door. She has not come to appreciate her situation as totally as I had hoped, but she learns everyday. Come, I will take you over to her.”
They followed Goulet to the next room, where he took out a key and unlocked the bedroom door. They found the girl handcuffed to the bed. Her eyes pleaded with Goulet as he approached her. She kept her silence however.
Connor felt Karen tense at his side, and he touched her reassuringly. “You have her handcuffed even after all these months Rene?”
Goulet laughed. “She had to be disciplined for her attitude this morning.”
Connor struck him so hard in the back of his neck, Karen heard it snap, and saw Goulet’s head whip back at an impossible angle, even as his body collapsed loosely to the floor. He quickly searched the body, and came up with a key to the girl’s handcuffs, as Karen sat next to her smiling, and gesturing for her to stay quiet. Connor removed the handcuffs as Karen helped her to her feet.
“Tina,” Connor said quietly. “We are here to help you. Karen will help you get dressed while some friends of mine come to get us. Can you get dressed okay?”
Tina nodded, as tears began to stream down her cheeks. She looked down at Goulet’s body, and then questioningly back at Connor. “Is.Is he dead?”
Connor nodded. “He sure is honey. Now you let Karen help you get dressed, and we will be on our way.”
She led Karen to a closet across the room. “Did you get all that Johnny?” Connor asked.
“Oh yeah buddy, and we are on the move right now. Sit tight.”
“Will do.” Connor went over and locked the bedroom door.
“Hey Mutie, how you doin’?”
Connor smiled at the sound of Nate’s voice. “So far so good pal.”
“From the sound,” Nate observed, “I take it future questioning of Goulet would have to be done by way of a supernatural medium.” Connor heard Johnny laugh.
“Just following the plan bud. Any movement around us?”
“Nope,” Nate advised. “We have a clean screen. Any trouble Johnny?”
“Just a bodyguard.”
Someone began pounding on the door, as the handle was tried.
“I hear it Mutie. Stay with the girl. We will be there in five seconds,” Johnny stated.
“We will be here,” Connor answered as he moved to the side of the door.
Connor heard the quiet sound of a silenced gun, and then a thud as the body dropped to the floor.
“I’m right outside,” Johnny confirmed. “Come on out, and I’ll take you right to the limo.”
Karen had heard. She brought Tina out to the door next to Connor. Connor put his arm around the girl, who shook with fear. His touch calmed her, and Karen saw the look of well being come over her face.
“You’re going home Tina,” Connor told her, “right now. Karen will be right next to you from now on. Are you ready?”
She nodded, and Co
nnor unlocked the door. Johnny stood outside. He had dragged the butler’s body off to the side. He turned, leading the way
down to the limo. His team was there in force, and nothing moved within sight of where they walked. Johnny opened the limousine door for the three of them, and then jumped into the driver’s seat. They did not stop until they were at the airport. Johnny got out, and handed Connor the passport papers, and ticket reservations Karen would need for Tina to fly home.
“I will be waiting for you somewhere around here. Just tell me when you want picked up,” Johnny told him.
“Thanks Johnny, I will get them on the plane, and then call you.”
One of Johnny’s men met them at customs, and guided them all the way
through until it was time to board the plane. Tina hugged Connor. “Thank you…I…”
“No need to thank me Tina. It was a pleasure.” He looked at Karen, who smilingly gave him the communications gear she had.
“I know I have to go with her. I saw the list of places you still have to travel. I could not go with you even if I wanted to. I will come back when you finish, or any time you need me.”
Connor took her hand, and kissed her fingers. “Until then my love, until then,” he said in French.
She laughed, and waved as she led Tina through the gate.
Connor sighed in relief. “I’m on my way out Johnny.”
“I heard that sigh Mutie,” Nate said.
“I needed Karen yesterday, thanks to a screw-up on my part, and it was pretty straight forward today, but I am sure you saw where we have to go now.”
“I know,” Nate agreed. “I am signing off for now. Congratulations guys, I will be back on line tomorrow as soon as I figure some way to support you on this next one. Basrah will be a bitch.”
“Better to do the worst next. We practiced on the milk run today. Talk to you tomorrow, Mutie out.”
Connor had removed his communications gear, and changed from Pierre for the time being. He sat quietly next to Johnny, who drove them to meet up with the team, and go over a few of the details. Johnny looked over at his friend, a smile spreading across his face. Connor sensed it and looked over.
“What the hell are you grinning at?”
“I cannot believe how whipped you are,” Johnny commented. “You went through all this shit the last couple of days just so Dr. Blakely could realize how little use she would be.”
“I did not endanger our mission, and frankly, without her along yesterday, I would probably have died,” Connor reminded him.
“No, you would have done it differently,” Johnny corrected.
Connor stayed silent for a few moments. He turned to say something, but Johnny was shaking his head. “Whip boy, you are so pathetic. I like Dr.
Blakely too, but all this because you can’t say no to your girlfriend. Say it with me whip boy, paaaaaa.thet.ic.”
Connor laughed with him. “Forget what I said about coming in with me and Nate you little weasel. One disrespectful smart-ass in the company will be more than enough.”
“One smart-ass and a whip boy,” Johnny said. “Besides, you can’t keep me out. Nate already made me a partner, and we voted you off of the board of directors.”
“Figures,” Connor sighed. “You have to admit Johnny, we administered a little justice today. Where did you pick to meet up with the team?”
“We have a safe house in Nanterre. They should be there by now.”
All of the men were relaxing, taking care of weapons and equipment, when Johnny led Connor into the room. They all jumped to attention. Connor looked at Johnny Loo quizzically. Johnny just shrugged, motioning for the men to take their seats. He and Connor sat down with them in the large living room. They were all extremely capable looking young men.
“I want to congratulate you guys,” Connor said. “You pulled this off without a hitch. This one will be the easiest of the missions we have ahead of us. Did you have any questions or comments about what we did today?”
“Will the little girl be okay,” one dark complexioned young man asked. “She did not look so good.”
“It will take a while, and she will never get over some of what happened; but because of what we did today, she will be back home getting well. It don’t get no better than that.”
There were a chorus of grunts and affirmations. “What’s your name?” Connor asked the young man.
“Ruiz Sir, Luis Ruiz, Lieutenant USMC.”
“We have a long road ahead of us Lieutenant,” Connor replied. “Tomorrow I go into Basrah to get another little girl named Jenny Atkins. She will be thirteen next month. Pierre gave her to a military official in Basrah, to keep one of his drug supply lines open. He has had her for over a year, since she was eleven. I will need a way out from North of the Kuwait border. By then, I will probably have many pissed off people on my back.”
“How in the hell will you ever get her away from this guy, and all the way to the border Sir?” another man asked.
“That will be my problem,” Connor informed him. “Control will let us all know tomorrow the route you will need to keep open, and the place I will need to shoot for.”
“But what about the border guards, and.”
“Did I say this would be easy,” Connor broke in. “We may start a war if things go badly, but one thing you can count on: I am going to bring little Jenny out to a predetermined place, where you guys will have made the rest
of her journey a safe one. By the time we are done, everyone who ever touched her or got into the way of her exit from Iraq will be dead. Any more questions?”
Chapter 30 The Long Road
Karen waited outside of customs. She looked at her watch. Lieutenant Ruiz should have been passed through already. As she decided to find out what the hold up was, a commotion came from inside the closed off portion of the custom’s office. Karen rushed into the room in time to see Ruiz leg whip one security guard to the floor. Ruiz took his gun, and turned to trap the second guard who had grabbed him from behind. The guard dropped the gun as Ruiz tightened the lock hold he had around both of the man’s arms with his left. Ruiz backed up calmly, with the first guard’s gun under the second one’s chin, to where a little girl huddled in the corner. She grabbed Ruiz around the waist as he backed towards her, and held him tightly. Ruiz looked down and smiled.
“I told you I wouldn’t let them take you honey.” He looked up at the stunned custom’s officers, and security guards, with their weapons drawn.
Karen walked right in between them with her NSA credentials out. “Hold it right there, all of you. Put those guns away now. I said now, God Damn it!”
The security guards holstered their guns, and Karen turned to Ruiz. “What happened Lieutenant? I expected you a half hour ago.”
Ruiz recognized Karen from his orders. “Hello Dr. Blakely.”
“Stand down Lieutenant.”
Ruiz released the guard he held. He released the clip from the 9mm automatic, and jacked the shell out of the chamber. He put his arm around the little girl next to him, who stared up at Karen curiously. He handed the weapon to the guard.
“Okay, what happened?” Karen asked.
“Mr. Connor told me to put Jenny here in your care, and not to let her out of my sight until then. I tried to explain this to these people, but they insisted on separating us.”
Karen spun around angrily. “Who the hell tried to separate this girl and her bodyguard?”
One of the custom’s officers standing in the background walked up. Her auburn hair was tied tightly away from her face. She looked into Karen’s eyes with a smug look, but what she saw there made her back up a step.
“I am in charge of customs at.”
“Shut up. You were told to release Lieutenant Ruiz and his charge immediately into my care. Is English your second language, you sanctimonious twit?” Karen said through clenched teeth.
“Who do you think you are? I am going…”
“Get out of our way. You have y
our orders. Now step aside.” Karen turned back to Ruiz. “Follow me Lieutenant.”
As Karen stepped past the woman, she grabbed hold of Karen’s arm. “This girl must remain with us pending.”
Karen reached up and grabbed hold of the woman’s left ear. The woman screamed out as Karen pulled her head close. She tried to pull away, but Karen tightened her grip, and twisted so the woman’s head bowed even more.
“Listen close, you arrogant bitch,” Karen whispered fiercely. “I can have you on the phone with the head of the NSA and Director of the CIA in ten seconds, but if you make me do that, I will make it so you won’t be able to find a job cleaning toilets. What’ll it be?”
“You.You can go. I.I.”
Karen released her, and pushed her back. “Listen up, all of you. There will be others coming through here in much the same way, and I will not have them harassed like this. The next time, I come in with a squad of special agents. You are all lucky I got here when I did. What were your orders Lieutenant?”
“Get Jenny into your custody, and kill everything that gets in the way of that objective,” Ruiz answered.
Karen walked over to where the auburn haired woman held the side of her head. She handed her a card. “Call this number. They will explain things to you again. I hope for your sake, you will keep all of this quiet.”
Karen led Ruiz and Jenny out through La Guardia airport to a waiting limousine. Jenny curled up next to Ruiz. Karen reached into the small refrigerator and took out two sodas.
“Would you two like a soda?”
Jenny sat up, took both sodas, and after opening one, she handed it to Ruiz. He smiled his thanks, and took a big swallow.
“You’re leaking Lieutenant,” Karen observed.
Ruiz glanced down at his left shoulder. Blood had begun to stain through his tunic. He drank some more of the soda. “I’ll be okay Dr. Blakely. Jenny and I are pretty tough, aren’t we Jenny?”
Jenny nodded solemnly and took another sip.
Karen held out her hand to Jenny, “I’m Karen Blakely. I am really sorry about the mess in there.”
American Mutant Page 31