by Dan Kelly
Don answers on the first ring. “Where are you?”
“Six thousand feet in the air heading for the area where Aldrich stole the plane.”
“How did you pull that off so quickly?”
“Janet is a pilot and the people at Dulles International know her.”
I fill Don in on what Janet has accomplished so far and finish with, “Now she’s passing the ball on to you to get cooperation from the law enforcement people in the search area to move in if and when the plane is spotted.”
“I’m on it.”
The line goes dead and looking at Janet I nod and say, “Don’s on it.”
“Great. Now, keep scanning the area we’re flying over from your side of the plane out to as far as you can see and back again. I’ll do likewise from my side. I wish I had thought to latch on to some binoculars.”
After almost an hour of fruitless searching, I’m starting to lose my enthusiasm for the task. “Janet, I think this guy has probably landed someplace and has hidden the plane very well. We may be wasting our time up here.”
“You may be right, Chet, but I’d like to give it another half hour. If we don’t have any luck by then, I’ll call the whole thing off.”
Another half hour flies by, pun not intended, and we’re still coming up with zip, so Janet calls the air search off and we head back to the airport. Ten minutes out Don calls.
Before he has a chance to say anything I get right to the point. “We’re calling the air search off. We haven’t even seen a sparrow up here. Janet tells me we’ll be landing in Dulles in about ten minutes. She had a great idea, but it just didn’t pan out.”
“Well, it was a terrific idea and it probably would have panned out if the plane he stole didn’t develop engine trouble and he was forced to land it on a seldom used road out in the boonies. After landing, Aldrich was able to taxi the plane off the road into an old dilapidated warehouse structure large enough to hide the plane. An elderly man who lives out there heard the plane’s engine sputtering as it was coming down to land and went to investigate. Looking around where he thought the plane might have touched down, he spotted some shrubs and high grass pushed aside and pressed to the ground. He followed the trail which led him to the warehouse and the plane. He called the local police and they contacted me. When the old guy found the plane, there was no sign of Aldrich.
“That didn’t surprise me because besides being elderly the guy is crippled with arthritis, so it probably took him a while to get to where he found the plane.”
“That plane having engine trouble was a blessing in disguise for Aldrich although he doesn’t know it. It enabled him to elude our airborne posse.”
“Yeah, well, luck has no prejudices when it comes to selecting who is to bask in its light. We’re just going to have to live with that fact and hope the last arrow in our quiver, the press briefing trap at Walter Reed, hits the target dead center. Later.”
I passed on the news to Janet and she had no response except for letting out a long sigh and scrunching up her lips in disappointment.
We flew the rest of the way back to Dulles in silence. There really wasn’t anything to say.
When we landed, I told Janet’s flying buddies that I would submit their cost for fuel to the FBI once they gave me the numbers. They all flatly refused straight out. One of them says, “We all welcomed the opportunity to get some night flying time in and the excitement of the chase. All of us normally lead pretty boring lives. Besides, we were glad to contribute to what might have put this nut where all nuts belong, in a can for the rest of his life.”
On that note I thank them and we part company. Janet drives like a sane woman back to Morey’s so I can pick up my car and when we arrive the restaurant is closed and the parking lot is empty but for my car.
It’s close to midnight and although I was getting sleepy on the drive from the airport, looking at Janet now I am becoming quite awake. Unfortunately, the moment was destroyed by her cell ringing. It’s her mother who has come to town for some kind of meeting and is calling from Janet’s place where she stays when she’s in town to let her know she’s there and asking where she’s been all night as she’s been trying to reach her since seven and was getting worried something had happened to her.
Upon hearing Janet say, “I’m on my way home now, Mom. I’ve had my cell off because I was involved in something and didn’t want to be distracted. I’ll tell you all about it when I get home.” my sleepiness starts to return.
Shoving her cell back into the pocket of her slacks she says, “It’s been swell, but all good things must come to an end sometime.” She then rises up on her toes and gives me a kiss that has me instantly awake again.
She jumps back into her car and a few seconds later is out of sight, leaving me with what portends to be a bout of insomnia thinking about that kiss.
Chapter 28
When I show up for my shift in the FBI conference room on the day of the phony press conference, the room is empty and I’m running late. I start to wonder where Don and Janet might be, but then the scent of lox and bagels, Danish pastries and freshly brewed coffee bombard my schnoz and I forget all about them as I wander over to partake of the goodies. In addition to the lox, the bagels are loaded with cream cheese, sliced red onion and tomato. This fare is aided and abetted by an assortment of juices; apple, orange, grape, V8, and grapefruit. This is the best breakfast spread since we began this news blitz and I start wondering again, this time about why the change.
Ten minutes later without the phones ringing once, the two of them walk into the conference room like it’s a typical day at the office talking about the advantages and disadvantages of working for the Federal Government.
Looking at the breakfast spread and then back at them I ask, “What are we celebrating? Did Piedmont die? Did the Crusader surrender? What?”
Don answers with, “This is the last shift of the Crusader Sighting Response Force. We’ll be returning to normal operations at ten this morning. It’s kind of a thank you gesture to the three of us by, of all people, Piedmont. Personally, I think he’s trying to stay on the good side of us so he can share the spotlight if our plan works later this morning.”
I follow up with, “Can a hacker hack into a computer without leaving a trace that it has been done?”
“For a long time it was believed that it was impossible to do that, but an incident in the UK known as the Santander incident recently proved that belief to be a pipedream and a lot of money was stolen. Some of these hackers are extremely clever and resourceful and are always coming up with new ways to beat the system.”
“So if Aldrich is one of these extremely clever ones we have no way of knowing if he snuck a peek at the President’s schedule on his computer.”
“I’m afraid so. The only way we’ll know for sure is if he shows up at Walter Reed later this morning.”
Janet asks, “What if he doesn’t make his move at the news conference but instead tries to do the deed in the hospital? Will there be enough security around Andy Barrows to foil any attempt on his life.
Don replies with a cautious yes. “There will be people all around him, some looking like what they really are and some dressed and acting like hospital staff and visitors. If Aldrich does decide to go after the President in the hospital, he’d suspect something was up if he didn’t see any protection close by. However, I think he’ll choose to act at the press conference. He’ll get more immediate media attention there and that seems to be one of his goals and there will appear to be more acceptable escape routes. My money’s on the press conference.”
Murphy’s Law believer that I am I say, “If something can go wrong, it will. I’m getting a bad feeling about the outcome of our little one act play. Why Aldrich stole that plane is still sticking in my craw. He could have stolen it to safely get out from under the search lights for a while or he was planning to use it as a tool to help him murder someone else, maybe even the President.”
Don respon
ds with, “The No Fly Zone surrounding the White House has a radius of 30 miles. and Bethesda, Md. where Walter Reed is now located is only a little over eight miles away from D. C. so it’s well within that zone. If Aldrich opts for an assault form the air, he’ll be sighted immediately and be given the choice between getting out of the zone and being shot out of the sky.”
“Don, as we’ve discussed before, the Crusader’s recent behavior suggests that he’s getting more desperate about completing his mission of revenge. So much so that he’s in the frame of mind to take risks he never would have thought about taking when he first started down this road. We all agree that the President is at the very top of his list of targets and he would willingly die to send the man to a slab in the coroner’s office. He might be willing to take the chance of being able to accomplish that task from the air before he pays the ultimate price, his trip to a slab in the coroner’s office.”
Don shakes his head but says nothing for several minutes. After devouring a Danish and a half cup of coffee he says, “I better pass your concern up the ladder to the guys making the big bucks and let them decide how to deal with this possible threat. Even though the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies are constantly on the alert for attacks against the President wherever he may be, a warning ahead of time regarding possible danger from the air still seems to be in order.”
Don leaves the conference room, probably heading for Piedmont’s office to keep him in the loop, leaving Janet and I to handle the phones and put on some extra weight consuming the scrumptious calories. Two hours later he hadn’t returned, but we really didn’t need him because the phones only rang a half dozen times and one of those was a misdial. The others were dead ends as the people that were seen turned out to be look-a-likes but innocent citizens who were somewhat flustered and also angry at being mistaken for the Crusader.
Swallowing the last of a glass of V8 juice Janet says, “I’m not needed here. Nothing’s happening. I’m going back to my office to get my act together there and then I’ll head out for Walter Reed. I’ll see you there.”
“Okay, I’ll be there, but you’ll probably not see me because my presence might spook the Crusader into changing his mind about what he’s planning for the President. There’s no good reason for me to be there unless you and I are up to no good where he’s concerned. I’ll find some place to hide with a good view of what’s going on at the press conference and stay out of sight until our guys make a move on Aldrich. Don will probably be doing the same for the same reason.”
“Okay, that makes sense. I sure hope this works so I can go back to worrying about normal things like missing a sale at Betsy Fisher or finding a parking place at Morey’s. Bye. Stay safe.”
Ten minutes later Don returns and from the look on his face things did not go well. “Since you’ve been gone for over two and a half hours, I’m assuming you needed a translator to communicate with the men on top and had trouble finding one. What took so long? Janet skipped out without saying good bye because she has better things to do than hang around here doing nothing but waiting for you to return to the fold.”
“I’ve heard of them, but I’ve never seen one before.
“Huh?”
“Walking, talking assholes! I’ve been on the phone or sitting in some dunderhead’s office trying to convince some of our top level decision makers of the seriousness of the situation that might confront us before the morning is over and getting nowhere. They all had the same response. ‘More than conjecture is needed to raise the alert level for an aerial threat against the President. You don’t even know if the Crusader is aware of your phony press conference.’ or words to that effect. We’re on our own when it comes to an attack from the air that gets by the standard security measures.”
“Chill out, Don. It is what it is and we’ll just have to deal with whatever comes along.”
“That’s easier said than done.”
“Don, I’ve got an idea. Do you have any contacts in the Department of the Army?”
“No, why?”
The army uses M18 Colored Smoke Grenades in ground to ground and ground to air situations to conceal troop movements on the ground. If we could get our hands on some, we could use them to hide Barrows if we spot a plane approaching the Walter Reed area. You could then simultaneously call the Department of Home Land Security and light a fire under their asses to get a bird in the area to force Aldrich to land or pay the consequences.”
“That’s kind of James Bondish, but it just might work. But I don’t know anyone over there and they’ll probably give me the same hassle everyone else has been giving me this morning.”
“Let me try to massage my network of government contacts and see if I can get someone to help us out.”
“Have at it, but it’s going to take a minor miracle to get them in time. The press conference will be starting in two hours and ten minutes.”
“Then I better get to it. I’ll call you when I have something to tell you.”
I run to my car and while I’m getting in I’m also grabbing for my special cell phone. The President answers on the first ring. “What’s up, Chet?”
“I need your immediate help in something that might happen at the phony news conference later this morning.”
I quickly tell him what we need and why and an instant later he tells me to hold on. Five minutes later he’s back on the line and says, “They are on the way along with two army sergeants who know how to use them. They should arrive at Walter Reed around ten-thirty. They’ve been instructed to contact you on your normal cell for instructions as to where you want to position them.”
“Thank you sir. I’ll be there to meet and greet them when they arrive. Hopefully, the next time I call you we’ll have the Crusader in custody, alive or dead.”
I call Don and give him the news and his sigh sounds like air escaping from a tire and I likened that to a heap of pressure lifting from his shoulders. “Chet, I wish I had your contacts. This job would be a picnic.”
“Be careful what you wish for my friend. Picnics draw ants, scavengers of the highest order, and those critters can make a disaster out of a picnic.”
“Thanks a lot for sharing that pearl of wisdom. The next time you get the urge, gargle with a double shot of Bushmills until it goes away. Some of us enjoy be delusional.”
I laugh, he laughs and then we’re off to hopefully snare a madman. What a way to spend a day.
Chapter 29
I arrive at Walter Reed a little after ten and head for the area where the news conference is to be held. At the moment, the only folks there are some groundskeepers? and a couple of technicians to handle the sound system. Everything has been set up and all that is missing are the actors in our little drama. I spot some of Don’s comrades in arms roaming around the area dressed in casual attire or work uniforms of some innocent appearing variety and as I head for the main entrance of the hospital I see Don walking through the front door.
I hurry to catch up with him and do so at the registration desk. “Don, you’re probably looking for a place to hide and yet be able to observe what’s happening at the press conference like I am, I think I know just the place. While looking over the layout of this facility I spotted some windows on the first floor on the side of the building that faces the press conference area. They’re in a supply room not far from a side door. That room would make an ideal place to keep an eye on things without being seen and close to an exit if we’re needed outside. It’s a good idea for us to stay out of sight because Aldrich knows us and might bolt if he saw us because we don’t belong here.”
“We’re on the same page, Chet. I was going to flash my credentials at the registration desk and ask where such a place might be. Now I don’t have to take the chance of word getting out that the Feds are crawling all over the place and Aldrich somehow hearing the scuttlebutt.”
When we get to the supply room we find the door locked, but I’m pretty good with a lock pick and we’re inside
the room in less than thirty seconds. Don asks, “Where did you learn that trick?”