by Bill O. A
“Cut me loose!” shouted the trooper who was tied up. The elderly man ran to the back of the store to get a knife.
The two men kept fighting and made several moves on each other but Brian had the edge, he was able to punch the trooper across the chin to give him half a minute break to get the gun. He crawled on the floor and reached for his weapon. At the same time, the trooper realised the situation and headed for the exit. Two shots were fired and then Phil fell outside bleeding from behind.
There was no time to waste. Brian got up and went to the dying man. He searched him and got the car keys. He then dragged the trooper inside trailing bloodstains across on the floor.
As he got inside with the dying man, Amos had been set free and attacked Brian.
Another fight began.
“I don’t believe it. My twin brother is alive and he is actually the person you guys are looking for and not me?”
Ralph looked on as Kenny and Sandra stood there and absorbed all that was just said. Donald on the other hand left the gathering and was trying to reach his wife by cell phone to inform her of this rather dramatic turn of events.
“This explains why the body contact between you and Amy didn’t work,” said Sandra, “and more importantly to us, you don’t have to ‘be’ with her again, you were truly meant to be mine.” She went closer to him and hugged him tightly.
“I am sure my father is excited with this news,” said Kenny.
“Sure, he is, he has agreed to sponsor the rest of the search for the real ghost man, that is your twin brother of course,” replied Ralph. “George will go with you guys back to Nigeria to assist in any way he can, while we all wait for the ghost man and the subsequent ‘handshake’ with Amy. It is that easy.”
Brian had just killed two state troopers. He would need to leave California as no expense or protocol would be spared to find him. He was driving and was now eight blocks away from a barricade. He drove calmly with his Ruger pistol ready for any eventuality. He got to the barricade and spoke to the officer there.
“Any luck with your search trooper?” inquired the FBI agent.
“Nothing yet, sir. I just want to get to the station and pick up some items for my partner. I will be back in a jiffy.”
“Do hurry up and complete your task. Your state guys can be so complacent.”
Brian drove off with a smile. He had escaped finally, but he would need to change vehicles and his clothes. The elderly store owner could get free at any time and he would inform the police of the deaths of the troopers and his getaway. He made sure he didn’t kill the shop owner and his family as their deaths would have been a total waste. He was on a revenge mission not a killing spree. If only the second trooper had not played smart, both men would still be alive.
Well, this was not the time for regrets, he had to move on.
Chapter 33
All Areas, California
5th July 2015, 3:53 p.m.
“This way sir. We have a smaller video conference room that can take your numbers.”
The manager of the Four Seasons Hotel had personally taken over the hospitality of the FBI and their entourage. Mr Williams wasn’t new to this kind of special arrangement, having been in high level business for some time.
“Why aren’t we connected yet?” inquired George. The former CIA station chief in Nigeria couldn’t make the trip to Silicon Valley but assured Jack he would have the meeting and brief George on what to expect and do, when he got to the giant of Africa, in the room was were George, Ralph, Donald, Bode, Alfred and two other FBI agents.
“Just a minute sir, there is no one on the other side. They are yet to join the meeting.”
“Oh, I see,” replied George.
Ten minutes later there was some change in the connectivity.
“Here we are,” said the manager. “The meeting has begun. We have someone on the other side. I will excuse you gentlemen now and have my staff wait from outside.”
“When do you plan to call the lawyer off?” asked Amy. “Things have definitely turned for the better, not only have we established the ‘handshake’ concept, we have also identified the true ghost man. I think this is a win-win situation.”
“My dear, there is a lot you have to understand about life,” replied Jessica. “We cannot put all our eggs in one basket. The legal action will continue. I have had a talk with Josh and he will proceed with filing the case on Monday.”
“What if Kenny’s lost twin is found and the handshake doesn’t work, where does that leave us?”
“You would have to copulate with both brothers to make sure this thing is lifted.”
“As far as I am concerned this whole pandemonium has just gotten worse. How do you find a person that has been lost since childbirth? This is just epic,” sighed Mrs Jones.
“Don’t worry Mum, things will be much easier than before. We have leverage and that is Kenny. Looking for his exact equal shouldn’t take time. I am sure George will come up with something for the Nigerians and us of course.”
The Asian-born killer was waiting for news on the car radio in the trooper’s patrol car about his escape cum killings before he abandoned the vehicle. He was prepared; he had gotten all he needed for the rest of his stay in this state, most important being the dynamite. The only option he had left was to blow up the professor; the security around him was becoming unbreakable.
About twenty minutes later, there was a noise on the radio, then it became clear; all troopers were to report to the station for an important briefing. He listened a while as troopers called in to verify information. He felt an urge to call, he knew it would be wrong, but he was far away enough.
It had been close to six hours and the murders had not yet been found; the elderly man must really be weak and not to be able to break out from his enclosure. He picked the radio and called in.
“Hello, I haven’t heard from my partner since we started our search on Castro Street. Has there been any contact from him?”
“And what is your name?” inquired the man at Central Command.
“I am Amos Hardy, and my partner is Phil McCoy.”
“From what I have here neither of you have reported since about ten a.m. May I inquire where you are?”
Brian felt he had been made out, but he responded the best he could.
“I just left the barricade at Bunny’s Mall. I am on my way to the station.”
“Why haven’t you called in ever since?” The man on the other side of the radio further inquired.
“My device has been acting up for some time now. I think it needs a fix.”
“Well, I will let you know when Phil calls in, but right now all men are required at the station. It seems the target is leaving the country and the FBI want a major scale down since there has been no location of this killer.”
Brian face lit up; just the information he needed.
“May I ask where the target is going to?”
“I really don’t know, but you can make further enquiries when you come.”
“Thank you. I will be there shortly.”
Brian ended the call and left the vehicle; he got into his new rented salon and drove off.
“Jack, we found the killer’s hideout,” said Brad. “It was just a few blocks away from the Jones house. The eavesdropping device is there waiting for us, and some other stuff we haven’t seen before.”
“I am listening,” replied the special agent.
“The landlord identified Nathan as the man who rented the two-room apartment. He recognised him at first glance.”
“Interesting. So, Nathan was here,” said Jack. “Was there any other Asian with him?” asked the senior FBI man. “An accomplice or someone else?”
“No sir, it seems there is more to this Nathan’s character than we expected,” replied Brad.
“From all indications, we can infer that Nathan is the numbers killer,” said Jack. “Send Nathan’s picture and that of the disguised numbers killer from past locations
to the lab, let them do the comparison for us. I am sure one of those pictures will click.”
“I am on that, sir.”
“Hold on, special agent.” Jack still had something to say. “Are you sure none of the field men has any lead on this killer, either as Nathan or the numbers killer?”
“None whatsoever, sir.”
“I find it hard to believe that he would have escaped under such tight security, no one is that lucky. Please cross check with all the men and make sure no stone is left unturned, or any information no matter how insignificant has been missed.”
“Don’t worry sir, I am on it.”
“Hello Bernard, good to have you with us.” Alfred was talking directly to the former CIA station chief in Nigeria. “I am Agent Alfred Dexter with the FBI. I am handling things for Jack over here, with me are…” Alfred signalled for everyone to introduce themselves.
“Thank you for having me, although I just left another internal meeting. I have been briefed of the situation and I understand this is an unofficial request and meeting, so I will just go straight to the point.
“After the brief stint of civilian rule in the mid-90s, the military came back to power in Nigeria. One dictator was out and another was in. This was just their third republic and it hadn’t even settled down when they were kicked out, hence the White House told us to get involved and put an end to the incessant intervention of the country’s military and establish a sustainable democracy.
“We developed a plan and initiated Project Phoenix, a covert operation in conjunction with the MI6 and local resistance groups like the NADECO and others. Our plan was simple but unique; identify Nigerian families living in the USA with the right age and ethnic origin, educate them with our plans, and send them back to their country with their adopted sons, whom by the way, were our agents. Their task was to join various military forces as prescribed by us and start a subtle movement on fresh ideology promoting democracy and its ideals.
“Everything was working fine and we were waiting for the right time to initiate these sleepers, when all of sudden, about five years after, the military dictator died of natural causes and a reasonable man was now in power who later handed over power to a democratically elected civilian President. We watched events for the next two elections and were satisfied that sustainability had been achieved. The project was terminated and our boys came back home, but one of them had a girl pregnant in the early days and didn’t want to return, so he stayed back and started a family.
“While his colleagues came back to their families in the USA, they were visiting the country at intervals and they had managed to keep a secret family all those years. We knew he was an asset as his real identity was known to only the players at the inception of Phoenix, so we kept communication with him. He is now a lieutenant colonel in the Nigerian army, and we use him for strategic operations. I am sure he will come in handy for your activities in Nigeria.”
“Thank you so much for this insight,” said George. “But what we really need is investigative skills. You see, we are looking for a lost boy who would have grown up not knowing his real family. He was somehow mistaken for dead in a hospital fire.”
“I understand the kind of assistance you will need,” replied Bernard. “I am sure Chuka Chukwu will lead you in the right direction. I will mail his contact details to you, and inform him to expect your call when you are in the country. I will have to leave now. It is almost eight p.m. here in Langley.”
“Thank you,” replied everyone.
Chapter 34
California en route to Nigeria
6th July 2015, 1:05 p.m.
“Bode, I really don’t see the need for this charter flight to Nigeria,” said George. “Leaving at the scheduled time of ten p.m. via regular commercial flight would have been fine. Then driving to and using Los Angeles airport? Everyone knows movie stars have made this place very expensive, it is simply demand and supply.” George shook his head.
“You don’t need to worry George,” Bode replied. “This will be a reimbursable with the contract that brought me to this country when I win it. As per motive, we have a long flight, I am sure the need for the urgency is as clear as day, and do buckle up, the plane would soon take off.”
“Oh sure,” said George.
Eight minutes later, the Gulfstream G4 was well balanced in the air, cruising at forty-five thousand feet above sea level.
“Now Professor, I watched you speak, not just with conviction but certainty. Can you please explain your rather confident and ambitious view?”
“I can see you are eager to learn some of the tricks of my trade,” replied the old professor.
“Well, I will oblige you, businessman. You see, when the Jones family came to me, I explained the situation and gave them a temporary solution pending upon when the ghost man would be found, hence the pictures all over Amy’s room and even the one in her necklace. But there were several sketches before she agreed to the one we now show everyone. A true replica of your son, Kenny. No doubt whatsoever. I kept the very first copy, which was a rough estimate based on the girl giving her description and our university student making the sketch. One prominent feature, though negligible, stuck with me when I reviewed my file on the ghost man that day, I got a live picture from our team at the Open House. Kenny did not have a mole on his right cheek.
“No one had noticed this and I didn’t want to spoil the excitement, so I kept that little detail to myself, hoping it was a flaw in the drawing as there was no question that Kenny was the ghost man. Several of the sketches either had a mole or didn’t, so there was enough room to hope it was a drawing mistake. When the curse wasn’t lifted after the event to make the touch a reality, I knew there was more to the saga. The rest is now history. We are all here looking for Kenny’s twin brother, whom I believe is unquestionably the ghost man.”
Bode remained in deep thought for a while, he then spoke. “I can’t remember either of the boys having a mole or anything of that nature,” he replied. “I will need to ask my wife. She will likely recall something like that.”
“Not now businessman, you need to break this news to her gently, you have to be by her side and respond to her reactions accordingly.”
“You are right. I will wait till we are in Nigeria. Any news from the FBI about our contact with the ‘Nigerian colonel’?”
“I will call Jack for an update immediately we arrive, that shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Sir there is more sad news,” said Brad. “The killer had been hiding in a store all this time and taken the family that owns the place hostage. In an attempt to get away, he killed two state troopers and locked up the family. The blood at the entrance of the store drew the attention of a passer-by and now we have identified Nathan a second time as the killer.”
“He must have been pushed to the wall to kill non-intended targets,” replied Jack.
“You are right, sir. There were two fights and he won both ending up with the killings of these men. I think we pushed the guys too much, they just wanted to arrest him,” replied Brad.
“So how did he get away?” asked Jack.
“Dressed as a trooper and driving the dead officer’s official vehicle.” Brad looked hazy. “No one at the barricade suspected any foul play when he drove past.”
“Always creative, this man has turned out to be,” said Jack. “He actually went through the barricade just like that?”
“Well, hope is not lost. As you are aware, the fifth target has left the country and I advised him to stay away for the next three months. We can use that time to spread the real picture of this insane man and smoke him out properly.”
“Shut down the search, he is way gone. Relieve all agents here at the safe house. It is just me, you and the local police in whatever city he might have run too. And also check on the team with the seventh target. This man has shifted MO one time too many, anything can happen now.”
“I got that sir,” replied Brad. “I will inform al
l parties of this development.”
Brian was relaxing in a cheap motel, deep in Walnut Grove, Sacramento. His mind was at work; the FBI had shown how resourceful they could be, his picture from the data page of his international passport found in the trooper’s vehicle. It seems no expense was too much to get him.
The trip outside the country by the professor must have been triggered by his brazen visit, the night the haunted girl screamed. He needed to act fast because he knew if the Jones family were out of the picture due to the deliverance or whatever it was they were doing to heal the child, then it would be close to impossible to reach George.
The important question is where did his target go? There could be only one suggestion, the deliverance session didn’t work and the man in the centre of all this, the ex-Marine, had gone to Africa to cool off or simply keep tabs on the so-called teenager from Nigeria who had somehow become an item of worship for the crew.
He brought out his real identity card; he knew the FBI has this and would definitely trace him home to the UK. Well, he never really loved his British parents; he might as well never see them again. He would need to contact his man in New Jersey for another set of fake IDs, but in the interim his last disguise and unused ID should suffice. What better way to hide than in clear sight?
Frank Fields, a journalist with a top California news agency and with over twelve years’ experience was an excellent cover name and personality; a befitting member of the public who can mingle with the right crowd. Nathan knew he had to use this new identity and drop that of Brian.
His next task would be to confirm his trip to Nigeria; he wouldn’t want to embark on a journey only to find out that his target was nowhere in that country. He just needed to think it through. A plan would definitely come up, as always.