“They got to Whittaker. Report in.”
He listened as the person on the other end spoke. He came back to Kenann’s side. Whittaker moaned and Kenann laid a comforting hand on his arm. She leaned in to hear what he was trying to say. She strained to make it out and then it registered.
“Infiltrated! Danny Mac, he is saying the men have been infiltrated.”
Danny understood immediately. “Johnson, listen to me. One or more of your men is either dirty or has been overpowered. Yes, we are okay in here. Tighten your perimeter. Get eyes on everyone and take this guy down.”
Danny Mac took the pistol from Kenann and handed her his assault rifle. He raised an eyebrow in question. She nodded and began another sweep of their surroundings via the windows. Danny Mac got busy triaging Whittaker’s injuries. He prodded and felt for broken bones. None. That was good. He palpated his abdomen as he had been shown by the Navy Corpsman who trained him on combat aid. He could not detect any overt abdominal or internal issues.
He leaned in close to Whittaker’s ear, “John, can you hear me?”
Whittaker emitted a grunt in assent.
“Did you see who did this?”
Danny Mac leaned in closer to hear. “From behind. Saw his radio before I passed out. Our insignia.”
“Okay, rest, John. We will take care of it from here.” He covered him with a blanket in the event of shock. His pulse was steady now. He had no way of monitoring blood pressure, but his respirations were even and unlabored. He surmised the beating had once again been meant to be a message. You cannot hide from us. We are everywhere.
Danny Mac joined Kenann who was standing to the side of the window, making sure she was not making herself a target. Danny Mac was impressed by her instincts. She was calm and focused. He took the time to thank God again for giving him this woman who was so perfectly suited to him.
“How is Whittaker?” She realized she had never known his first name. Of course, Danny Mac did. He paid attention to detail.
“He will be fine, I think. Whoever did this only wanted to send another one of their messages. They are playing with us and it is starting to really tick me off.”
She reached up and touched his cheek. “Pardon the pun but looks like the honeymoon’s over.”
He turned his face to kiss her palm. “Never.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Johnson stood stone faced by Whittaker’s bed. Mrs. Gage sat on the other side holding Whittaker’s hand. “Are you sure you don’t want me to call your mother?”
“No, ma’am. I mean, yes ma’am. I do not want you to call my mom. She thinks I have a desk job. You’ll just scare her.”
“Young man, that is very sneaky of you. If you were my son, I would whip your butt.”
Despite the pain in his jaw, he cracked a smile.
“I bet you would.”
At that moment, Kenann, Danny Mac and Carter walked into the bedroom. They had moved all operations back to Mrs. Gage fortress of a home. Johnson came to attention - habit. Carter motioned for him to stand down.
“John, are you up to a briefing?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Luckily all the rooms in this gothic nightmare are big enough for a crowd. I will bring in everyone and we can get started.”
Jake pulled chairs into a semi-circle around the bed. Rough, who had resided with Mrs. Gage during the short-lived honeymoon, sat in front of Kenann leaning back on her leg. Granny James and Judy had their heads together discussing something. Angelo aka David sat quietly beside Danny Mac, the only person with whom he truly felt comfortable. He could not believe that these people had welcomed him into their circle after what he had done to them.
Carter marveled at his hesitation to take the floor. He found himself looking to Mrs. Gage who gave him a slight nod. Who was this woman who could exhibit such subtle command?
He wasted no time. “Folks my original intent was to have you assist me in our investigation. Now I am resolved that you will be my only investigative team. At this point, I can trust no one else. Not even the President. Who knows how far or deep this operation goes? I will have to file reports to keep them off my back, but I am letting you know where it stands. We are it. Binegar was taken out swiftly. He never saw it coming. How they tracked us to the cabin and infiltrated our surveillance is beyond me.”
Mrs. Gage touched the small ear wig in her left ear. “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, it appears we have a security breach.” And with that she left the room, followed closely by Danny Mac and Kenann.
Carter looked at Andy raising both hands in disbelief. He shook his head and turned, following her out motioning Johnson with him.
“I tried to prepare him for Mrs. Gage.” Andy and Jake were laughing as they ran after the others. Whittaker tried to get up, but Judy put a restraining hand on his shoulder.
“Hang on, big guy. We will sit this one out, okay?”
He gave her a dirty look and leaned back on his pillows. Granny moved up to his bedside and patted his arm. He gave her a sheepish smile.
Angelo sat stone still. Granny James looked at him and winked. He gave her a tentative smile in return.
A few minutes later they were back. Blade was tucked under Jakes’s powerful arm. He sat him down in the middle of the group.
“What were you doing trying to sneak into this house? All you had to do was walk up and ring the doorbell.”
Blade finally raised his head. “I didn’t figure you would let me sit in on your meeting and I was going to find a way to listen in.”
“Why?”
“Andy said I was part of the team and I want to know stuff.”
Jake looked up at Carter’s impassive face. The silence was torture for Blade. There was an unspoken agreement that this was Carter’s call. He contemplated Blade’s performance during the often-harrowing events of the past summer as related by the team. He had also had him investigated in the weeks following their return and knew that he had not revealed one iota of his experience – not even to his mother. He decided.
“Okay, you’re in kid.”
There was a combined whoop of emotion from the crew. Even Rough barked his approval. Blade beamed.
“Mrs. Gage interrupted the revelry, “Blade, does your mother know where you are.”
“Ummm, no ma’am.”
“Then I suggest you call her and tell her.”
“Could you do it, Mrs. Gage? She always worries that I show up uninvited.”
“Imagine that.” Everyone laughed.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
They settled back into the meeting in earnest, with the addition of Blade setting on the floor between Andy and Judy who grinned at each other over his head. Once again Carter had the floor and wasted no time laying it out.
“Since these guys had such an effective fail-safe escape plan, they left nothing to review. Our guys ran an analysis as to the people reported missing all over the world. Katerina was right, they came from all walks of life. Hotel housekeeping staff to heads of state. All of them now have new identities – new lives somewhere.”
Danny Mac spoke, “So, have we looked back for clues?”
“What do you mean?”
“Katerina told me that this society had its beginning in the earliest civilization of ancient Sumeria.”
“Which is now Iraq.”
“Yes. Is there anything from ancient texts that might give us some clues?”
“Well, seeing as how they left no foot print in this century, it is unlikely. That is how they have remained under the radar all these years – millennia. But you bring up a good idea. It won’t hurt us to do some snooping around through history.”
Mrs. Gage queried, “Six thousand years of it?”
Judy laughed. “Have fun guys, I have to go to work tomorrow.”
They all turned and looked at her. Carter shook his head.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible. I meant what I said. You are now my team and that means all of you - fu
ll time. I’m sorry, young lady.”
Andy felt her stiffen beside him and quickly interjected, “We can work out the details later. Let’s discuss our game plan now.”
Judy raised an eyebrow at him but remained silent. She had agreed to help in any way she could, but she also had a job to do. Carter continued completely unaware that he had escaped a hiding from Judy.
“We determined that one course of action was to try and flush this bunch out by using ourselves as bait. We get them to show themselves by coming after us. Then we move on. Put them on the defensive. We leave a small team behind to take note of any abnormality before joining us at our next destination. By doing this we may be able to develop a profile of how they operate.”
Blade spoke up. “I can help.”
Danny Mac drew out his name on a sigh, “Blaaaade.”
“No, really, I can. I did before. You know I did.”
Jake jumped in, “Yes, you did but that was because you were a stowaway and before we knew what we were up against.”
Danny Mac added, “Blade, you were a big reason we were successful. You were a pro on that platform and getting us out of the cavern. And that is the truth, you know it. But there is no way we are going to take you with us. You are ten years old and we love you. Not happening.”
If looks could kill.
Carter continued, “Obviously, we will have to rely on others besides ourselves for logistics, but my goal is to keep any key element of our plans to ourselves. Things we want our adversary to know we will put it out there. Otherwise, we are on information blackout. Understood?”
General consent in the room. “Now, as to some of the particulars. Judy, you and Kenann will be added to our payroll as will Danny. Mrs. Gage, I assume you will disdain our government’s money. And Mrs. James and Jake what do you say?”
They sat in stunned silence for a breath of time. The comrades in arms looked from one to another. They had come together because of their bond, not as a job. This felt off somehow. The mechanics of getting a government paycheck was a natural progression of what Carter was proposing, but it hit all of them in uncomfortable spots.
Danny Mac turned to Carter. “Can you give us a few?”
Carter looked confused and a little put out but complied. Johnson stayed at Whittaker’s side in unspoken allegiance. Their involvement with this group in Egypt cemented their relationship.
Judy was the first to speak. “Danny, I don’t like this. I have a job. This is who I am. I am a nurse.”
Kenann added, “I am supposed to be on medical leave from my job.”
Mrs. Gage weighed in. “It is one thing to offer our services but entirely another to be taking orders from Mr. Carter.” Johnson snickered. Everyone looked to him and grinned. It broke the tension.
Jake offered, “Folks, we knew it was coming to this. What do we want? Not to do this?”
Judy said, “Well, no.”
Granny James spoke finally, “We have become a little family, haven’t we? And to be paid to do what we feel like we have to do rankles a bit, I know, but if we allow Carter to pay those who need it. . . well, it can’t be helped. It will just allow us to do what we are going to do anyway. It does not need to change a thing, my loves.”
The air in their lungs deflated. They looked at each other and agreement was reached. Andy went in search of Carter.
Judy looked at Mrs. Gage with a determined eye. “I’m only taking orders from you.”
Mrs. Gage smiled. “I appreciate that, dear, but I am not sure that will always be practical. We will endeavor to play nice until such time that we … won’t.” And they both laughed in shared conspiracy.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Carter continued the briefing, “Andy, you and Judy will stay behind for a week or longer if needed, to do surveillance on any unusual activity that occurs in Memphis after we leave.”
Mrs. Gage interjected, “I will make sure any information my sources uncover will also be available to you as well.”
Carter cut his eyes to Mrs. Gage but gave up any thought of questioning or challenging her. He knew it would be futile. He continued, “The rest of us will travel first to Istanbul where East meets West, to set up shop. I do not have time to send in an advance team this time. But when we move onto London, I will have Danny and Kenann go on first to develop a baseline of the status there. Once the rest of us arrive we can assess any changes in activity or chatter.”
Angelo finally spoke, “If they are watching you, and you know they are, won’t they be tipped off by Danny and Hafsa’s arrival?” He did not realize he had used his nickname for her. Kenann smiled. She secretly loved her little lion moniker,
“We will be using private transport, thanks to Mrs. Gage. We can only hope to slow down their tracking of our whereabouts.”
Angelo nodded his head in understanding.
Carter continued, “And in this fashion, we are going to play hopscotch across the globe until we can build some sort of profile, flush them out or force them into a showdown.”
* * *
Blade had obtained permission to spend the night and would be rooming again with Jake. He was elated. Danny Mac and Kenann held hands as they went up the wide marble stairs to their room. Rough had looked at them reproachfully as they left him in the kind care of Granny. When they rounded the corner of the long hall beyond the sight of those below, Danny Mac pushed Kenann back against the wall and captured her mouth pressing his body into hers. Kenann was breathless when he finally tugged her hand to lead her down to their rooms.
“I’ve been wanting to do that in this house for a long time.”
“I had no idea.” Kenann laid her hand on her chest to calm her beating heart.
“Oh, you did too.”
“No, really I didn’t. I couldn’t understand why you wanted to marry me, Danny Mac. I had no idea you felt this passionately about me.”
“Well, if the last week hasn’t proven it to you, I can see I have my work cut out for me. Before I had to really watch myself. The man I used to be would have had you in a heartbeat. But the man I am and want to be had to keep our ‘marriage bed pure’.”
“Huh?”
“Oh, it is a phrase used in the book of Hebrews.”
“Well, all I can say is I’m glad we are married now. And I’m glad we waited – you waited because I would have given in if you’d have asked me.”
“I know that. It was up to me to make this happen.”
“It is special Danny Mac. Thank you.”
“You are very welcome. Now let’s make up for lost time.” He jerked her into the room. She giggled as he kicked the door behind them.
* * *
“They look so happy.” Granny scratched Rough’s head as she and Mrs. Gage enjoyed a glass of wine together.
“Yes, they do. It makes me very happy for them.”
“Sounds like we are off on another adventure. Do you think we are up to it?”
“Of course, we are, Moira. We have to be. There is too much at stake. These kids and much more.”
“Mr. Carter did not ask you, but can you trust all the people who work for you? You seem to have limitless resources and contacts.”
“Well, I would love to say with full assurance that all my people are trustworthy. I truly think they are but as precaution, no one person knows enough to hurt me. I have made sure of this for a long time.”
“Is that why you are so secretive with us?”
“Oh Moira, you don’t know how much I want to share my life with you – with all of you. But I cannot. And this situation is a perfect example of why I can’t. There are too many lives at stake - depending on me.”
“You have said that before. That is a pretty heavy burden you have chosen to carry.”
“Sometimes I think it has chosen me. It’s all I’ve known for so many years, I hardly remember anything else.”
“Is it possible we could help you when this is resolved?”
Mrs. Gage threw back her he
ad and laughed. Rough raised his head and thumped his tail at the sound. The sudden image of involving this crazy crew in her passion was overwhelming. Granny James persisted. “Gabrielle, I am being sincere.”
“I know you are, love. It is just that I have been on my own so long and the thought of involving anyone in my efforts is impossible. But, if I were ever to consider anyone for intimate inclusion in my work, it would be you and our wonderful entourage.”
“Well, keep us in mind. We have proven quite handy in these things.” Granny James raised her glass. Mrs. Gage joined her in the toast and a smile.
* * *
Angelo sat quietly with Blade and Jake. He smiled as they teased each other over a board game they were playing.
“Want to play?” Blade looked up and asked him.
“Oh no. I will sit and watch. But thank you.”
Jake joined in the conversation, “Angelo, are you okay being here with us?”
“I was very happy to be asked to come here. But being here is a little uncomfortable, I have to admit.”
“I have to ask, have you been contacted by the Society?”
“No, I covered my tracks very well with the help of Andy and Danny.” He looked uncomfortable and said, “Do not tell Carter they helped me.”
Jake laughed. “It’s all right, son. He figured they did. Don’t worry about it.”
“I have told Carter everything I can remember about the operation. Katerina did not allow us to know much. We were really glorified errand boys.”
“Will you go back to Amsterdam?”
“No, I quit my job and closed up my apartment.”
“I am sorry this thing is disrupting so many lives.”
“It is fine. I will do anything that Danny asks me to do.”
“You know he does not expect anything from you.”
“All the more reason for me to be loyal to my friend.”
“Well, welcome to our team.”
Angelo smiled. Blade raised his palm and Angelo gave him a high five with a laugh.
* * *
Judy and Andy sat curled on the couch in the downstairs parlor before heading upstairs for the night. Carter came through looking for a book to read.
Once In Awhile Page 7