by Iris Bolling
“Not in this lifetime, Angel,” he looked into her eyes. “You good?” he quietly asked.
She nodded as he sat her down next to him.
He stretched his long legs out, then peered down at the monitor as a second man entered.
Roc lay next to him watching and listening, but more so trying to ease her heart beat that was still reeling from the Absolute explosion.
❖❖❖
“Did you do this with the President’s daughter? Are you responsible for this?” the man railed the moment he walked in the door. “All the pieces are falling into place. I can't take the chance of anything going wrong, not at this point. I've waited too long for this moment to let your stupidity interfere.”
“Chill out man. Everything is under control,” Holt replied.
“Do you have the signed document from McClintock requesting the President’s removal?”
“It should be on its way,” David replied. “Once the document is signed by McClintock it is to be delivered to you. You will be the one to announce publicly that the President authorized the Vice President to approve the movement of the weapons into the country.”
That seemed to have calmed the man down, but he watched David’s every move. Finally, the moment he had been waiting for. It had been over 10 years now. It was time for JD Harrison to take his fall from grace. Oh yes it had been a glorious ride for righteous JD. And he’d had no problem with hanging on to his coattail to get to the point of power needed to gather the troops to bring down the great JD Harrison.
The man still had not come into view. Joshua shifted, trying to get a better view. There was something familiar about the man. “I need to get closer. I need to see who Holt is meeting with.”
Roc grabbed his arm to stop him. “You’ll be detected before we have what we need. Let him talk.” She exhaled. “This is his moment of glory. Be patient, you’re going to get what you need.”
“You could give me what I need.”
The nerve of him, “You may want to back up off of that topic.” She shook her head, then turned back to the two men meeting. “Pay attention to the meeting so we can wrap this case up.”
“Gary is dead.”
“Yes, and McGary is in custody.”
“What about McClintock’s wife? How’re we going to keep her quiet?”
“She's under complete control.” David replied. “What you need to be concerned with is how are you going to keep me quiet.”
“I’m not concerned about that at all, Holt. You talk, you go back to jail. It’s that simple. He slapped the envelope in Holt's chest. “Here’s your payment. Return Harrison’s daughter back to her family or you will not see the light of day.” He said then walked off
Holt looked inside the envelope, took the money out, flipped through the stack of hundred dollar bills, then placed them in the inside pocket of his suit jacket. He discarded the envelope on the floor.
Joshua and Roc looked at each other and smiled. That was the break they needed. They waited until they saw Holt leave the building then ran down the stairs. Roc picked up the envelope with a pin, stuffed it inside of a plastic bag. They left the scene running. “There has to be prints on that envelope.”
“You get that to Brian,” Joshua said as he jumped over the hood of the SUV. “I’m going to follow Holt.”
Roc, raised her hand for a taxi.
Chapter Twenty-One
Joshua watched Holt walk a few blocks, then pull off in an older model vehicle. “Genevieve.”
“Yes Joshua.”
“There’s a tan Oldsmobile three cars up to the right of me. Are you able to give me coordinates on previous trips within the last week?”
“Negative, the vehicle has no GPS system. It does have an antiquated bluetooth system.”
“Lock into it. See if you can give me a location it’s been to within the last week.”
“Processing.”
Based on the direction Holt was driving, Joshua knew he was heading towards Southeast D.C. He needed to know where, at least a general area.
“Complete.”
Joshua looked at the map Genevieve provided. “Thank you Genevieve. You are a genuine piece of art.”
“Thank you. I know.”
❖❖❖
“It’s dark Jazzy,” a frightened Jada whimpered.
“I know,” Jazzy hugged her cousin as they sat in a corner in an empty room of a strange house. After the man locked the door, the two girls sat in a corner holding on to each other, but now they were cold and hungry.
“You think he forgot us?”
“I hope so.” Jazzy was continuously looking around the room for anything that could help them get out. “ Shoot, I’m tired of being scared. I want to go home.” She went to stand, but Jada grabbed her.
“Where are you going Jazzy?”
“To see if the light is working,” she took her cousins hand. “Come on, you can go with me.”
“Okay.”
They walked to the light switch by the door then turned on the light. Jazzy put her ear to the door. “I don’t hear anything.” She reached for the doorknob.
“No Jazzy,” Jada cried out. “Don’t open it Jazzy the bad man is out there. I’m scared Jazzy. Please don’t open the door.”
“Okay, okay, Jada. Stop crying. It’s going to be okay. The door is locked anyway.” She held her cousin tight just as much for herself as for Jada. She was afraid too. But she knew she had to be strong and protect Jada. It was also important that they find a way out of the house. Jazzy looked around the room again for about the hundredth time. “I’m going to do an SOS.”
“A what?”
“An SOS. It’s a signal you can send with sounds or lights to let someone know you are in trouble and need help. It’s what people used before there were cell phones.” Jazzy turned the light switch off. Jada grabbed her free hand. She turned the light switch on then off. “One, two, three.” She turned the light on then off. “One, two, three.” She did it again. On. “One, two, three.” Then she turned it on and off three times quickly. “Okay, that’s one set. We’re going to do it again. She did the same routine. “Count with me Jada.”
“Okay. One, two, three. On.” Jada counted.
Jazzy could feel Jada calming down. She knew it was not going to last long, but at least she was okay for now. Man she hoped her Daddy would find them soon.
❖❖❖
Joshua pulled into the area Genevieve had designated as the likely destination for Holt. The area appeared to be deserted. There were rundown row houses on both sides of the street. A few had lights inside, most had nothing but boards or broken down porches. “Go sleuth, Genevieve,” Joshua requested. Genevieve’s lights darkened. “Scan the area for the vehicle.”
“Scanning…located, one hundred feet to the left of your current location.”
“Thank you Genevieve.” Joshua looked around. “Do you detect any unusual movement?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Thirty feet away to the right of your current location.”
Joshua stepped out of the automobile to look around. He missed it at first, thinking it was someone’s television reflecting off the side of the house. But then he counted. “One, two, three.” It’s an SOS signal. Why in the hell would a distress signal be coming from a rundown row house? Then as if by osmosis, Joshua looked up to see all the helicopters flying above. He listened to the sounds of the night. Emergency vehicle sounds were in abundance in D.C., but tonight it seemed intensified. Joshua pulled out his handheld. “Ned, what’s happening?”
“Joshua where in the hell have you been? The President’s daughter and niece have been taken. They believe David Holt is involved.”
Joshua began moving toward the blinking light. “Give me ten Ned.” He went black again as Ned was calling out his name. His gut was telling him all hell was about to break loose.
❖❖❖
Jazzy was getting tired. She knew they had to do so
mething else. The SOS thing wasn’t working. “Okay, look,” Jazzy held her cousin at arms length, “you trust me right?”
Jada bobbed her head up and down. Her single ponytail bounced along with it. “I don’t think the bad man is here. I think he is gone. We have to try to get away now. You understand.”
“Yes,” Jada nodded.
“Okay, I’m going to unlock the door.”
“No,” Jada shook her head.
“We can’t stay here Jada, we have to get out. It’s going to be all right.”
Jazzy pulled a bobby pin from her hair causing the end of one of her braids to fall into her face. She pushed them aside, then began working the lock. To her, this was child’s play. In fact, she had been picking locks since she was five years old. One could call it a family trait. It clicked. The two girls looked at each other, eyes wide with fright.
“Shhh,” Jazzy put her finger to her lips, then slowly turned the knob and cracked the door. The room looked empty. She could see all the way to the front door. She opened the door a little further. “See Jada, he’s not here. Come on,” she grabbed her cousin’s hand and ran full speed towards the front door. They had just about reached the door when Jada fell over something.
“Ouch,” she cried out.
“Get up Jada, we have to go.”
“I hurt my leg Jazzy.”
Jazzy bent down. “She rubbed her cousin’s leg. “It’ll be all right Jada.” She kissed her leg as her mother had done hers many times. How Jazzy wished her mother was here now. “We have to go.”
A noise came from the back of the house.
Jada’s eyes grew big. “Jazzy.”
Jazzy grabbed Jada’s hand and pulled her towards the door. “Come on.” she cried.
They reached the door and it was locked. Jazzy pulled another bobby pin from her hair and began to work on the lock.
Jada kept looking towards the back of the house where the noise came from. When a man appeared in the doorway, all she could do was pat Jazzy on the shoulder. She couldn’t speak.
“Stop Jada. I almost have it.”
The shocked child couldn’t speak for the figure was overwhelming. “Jazzy,” the child stammered.
“Jada,” Jazzy pushed her hand aside.
“Jazzy,” the girl fingers gripped her.
“Jada,” Jazzy stood and turned to the girl. ”What?” The impatience clear in her voice.
Jada just pointed.
Jazzy saw the man standing in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest, his coat hanging open and a weird look on his face. Her first instinct was to protect her cousin. She pushed Jada behind her and just stared at the man.
Joshua stood there, not believing what he walked in on. Two little girls, who he was sure were the President’s daughter and niece, were picking a lock on a door. What concerned him more was the item on the floor in front of them. He knew not to make a sudden move, for that would frighten them. “Jasmine, stay very still.”
The young girl seemed indignant. With hands on her hips, she stood defiantly in front of her cousin. “How do you know my name?”
“I’m a friend of your father’s.”
“That’s what the other man said.”
“He lied.”
“How do I know you are not lying?”
Joshua almost grinned. He instantly liked the little girl. Not only for her tenacity, but more for the way she put herself in front of her cousin. He wished the situation were different for he would take a picture of the two. The little one had her arms wrapped around the other’s waist. The taller one had her hands behind, holding on to the smaller one. Too cute he thought, but dangerous. He knew he had to move them from the item on the floor. “Fair question,” he took a step towards them. They started to move. “Don’t move.” He held up his hand. “Jasmine, I want you to see something.” He pulled out his handheld and pushed a button. “Ned we have a situation. Connect me to the President.”
“May be difficult.”
“Do it…now.”
Ned asked no questions, but did what Joshua asked.
“Joshua,” JD’s picture appeared on the monitor. “Tell me you found my daughter.”
“Hold on Sir,” Joshua turned the handheld to Jasmine.”
“Daddy,” the girl cried out and started to run.
“Stop.” Joshua shouted. “Sir, tell her not to move,” he rushed out.
“Jasmine, stop. Don’t move.”
Jazzy cried out. “Daddy.”
“Don’t worry baby, you’re safe now. Stay still baby, stay still.”
Jazzy cried. “Daddy come get me.”
“I’m coming baby.”
“See Jada, Daddy’s coming.”
Joshua kept an eye on the girls as he turned the handheld back to him. “Mr. President, we have a situation. The girls appear to be unharmed. However, there is a device at their feet.”
The tone of JD’s voice indicated he understood. “Joshua…that’s my baby. Get her out of there.”
“That’s the plan Sir. Lock on to my location. Send the calvary, but do not enter. I need you to keep the girls calm.” Joshua pushed a few buttons, and pointed the handheld towards the device. It read off the items that the device was made of, causing Joshua to close his eyes. Not only was the device explosive, as he had concluded, it was dirty. Meaning it contained substances, which would cause harm to anyone within miles if it goes airborne.
“Sir, it’s dirty.”
“We’re en route.”
“Sir you can’t come into this area.”
“I’m on my way.” The screen went black.
“Where’s my Daddy?”
“He’s on his way,” Joshua replied trying to calm the child.
“Why can’t we move?” Jazzy asked.
The last thing he wanted to do was frighten the child more. But he had to make sure she understood the situation. “Jasmine.,”
“Her name is Jazzy,” the smaller child offered.
Joshua smiled. “Okay, Jazzy. I want you to look down.” The girls did. “You see the wires?”
“Yes, Jada tripped over them.”
“Okay,” he bent down until he was eye level to them. “You see how they are spread out across the floor?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“I need to lift you across the wires without touching them. Will you let me do that?”
Jazzy looked at the wires. “I can jump across them.”
“No,” he said a little more anxiously than intended. “It’s not safe. I’ll reach across to pick you up. Okay.”
“Okay. Do Jada first. She’s scared.”
“No.” Jada cried out.
Joshua smiled. The loyalty between the two was adorable. “I tell you what. I’ll get both of you. What’s her name?”
“Jada,” the girl peeked around her cousin to reply, then disappeared behind her again.
“Okay Jada hold on tight to Jazzy. Jazzy, arms up.”
Joshua reached across the wires, raised the two girls up and over the loose wires. His first responsibility was to get the girls out of that house. But he couldn’t bring himself to leave them unattended in the vehicle. Nor could he bring himself to leave a dirty bomb unattended. He pulled out his handheld.
He knew Roc had gone black, so he called Brian instead.
“Anything on the fingerprints?
“Not yet.”
“Damn. We have a bigger problem,” He relayed the events to Brian as he stared at a bomb with enough power to clear the city block. “I need to speak to Roc.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Washington, D.C.
Joshua heard him before the man entered the house. He grabbed the girls up. “Shh, be very quite.” He placed them back inside the room and was about to close the door when Jada called out.
“No, please don’t leave us.”
“Shh, I’m not going to leave you,” he whispered. He looked up at Jazzy.
“I got her,” Jazzy nodded.
Joshua smiled and closed the door then disappeared into the woodwork of the room just before David Holt appeared.
The moment he entered the room he knew something was wrong. The device wasn’t where he left it. The wires were out of synch. He walked over, adjusted the wires, restored the connection to the door, then he froze. He stood slowly reaching into his pocket.
“Not a good move.”
David turned to see a tall dark man dressed in a suit leaning against the door of the room the girls were in. The lazy stance didn’t fool him. The man had a sense of danger surrounding him. “You’re in the wrong place my brother.”
“Put your hand in that pocket and this will be your dying place…my brother.”
David’s hand froze. “What do you want? There’s nothing valuable here.”
“I want information about that device.” His eyes never left Holt’s.
David’s cynical grin appeared. “That little baby. Hmm, that baby is what’s going to get me out of here.”
“Umm…I don’t think so,” Joshua took a step forward.
David mistakenly took that as the moment to pull his phone from his pocket.
Joshua on the other hand showed how wrong he was. He was on David and throwing him against the wall, away from the device. The phone dropped from his hand and landed by the door where the girls were. David proved to be a bit of a fight, which only amused Joshua. David kicked Joshua in the side knocking him backwards, momentarily giving him a chance to dive for the phone. It was just inches away from his fingers, when he felt the tall man’s foot on his hand. He looked up to see the man looming over him. Joshua picked him up by the back of his suit jacket, holding him like a rag doll. He punched David with so much force his body bounced off the wall and fell to the floor. Joshua grinned at the sight, but when he turned, the vision of Jazzy standing in the doorway with the cell phone chilled him to the bone. He was sure the phone was the detonator to the bomb.
“Jazzy,” he spoke cautiously. “Don’t.”
“I want to call my Daddy.”
“No don’t push any buttons.”
“Sweetheart.”
Joshua did not turn when he heard the familiar voice.
“My name is Roc. Your parents are outside. They are so anxious to see you. They asked me to come inside to bring you out.” Roc walked slowly towards the two girls. She held out her hand. “Will you come with me?”