by James H Roby
“Friends’ places. People who owed him money. People he owed money.”
“And with Jackie’s help,” Don finished for Malcolm, “got a list of what facilities would be needed to make more crush, we came up with this.” He slid the tablet he held to the center of the desk. The open screen was an Excel file of the names and owners of various properties around the Detroit area.
“I got a theory about that,” Jordan said.
“Of course, you do,” E-Man said. Don and Malcolm exchanged glances as if they weren’t expecting Jordan to add anything. Jordan looked around the room before continuing. “Let’s start at the beginning…”
“Big Paul?” Don said.
E-Man sucked air between his teeth. “No. The CIA.”
Jordan got Robin by the waist as he stood. She replaced him in the chair as he paced over to the windows. He put his back to the bullet-proof glass. “So, our friendly neighborhood spooks drop by to warn us that Cody Random is all fast and furious to kill me.”
“Spooks?” Don asked.
Malcolm bounced his shoulders. “Spies. Operatives. Intelligence Agents. Not a black slur.”
“Oh,” Don said.
“Told you he was Black James Bond.”
Jordan popped up off the glass. “I ain’t telling you no more, Scooter.”
“Relax, man.” E-Man held up his hands, playing peacemaker. He looked at Malcolm. “Jordan was an ethics instructor at the Defense Intelligence Agency. Even that was a top-secret position. He worked with spooks, so…you know.” Malcolm nodded to the explanation but the wheels in his head were turning. E-Man gave Jordan a wink and he went on.
“Anyway, my point is this. For a guy hell bent on trying to kill me, he hasn’t been focusing too much energy on it.”
“He did burn down a building to try and kill us,” Don said.
Jordan stroked his chin. “That was almost a window of opportunity – one we opened. We came to him, as it were. But what has he done since then?”
The team thought for a moment. “There was Cobo,” Malcolm said.
“Again, we came there. Cody was already planning to be there to hand off the sample to Kevin. Once that went tango uniform, he made a move to get the sample back from Jack at the hospital.”
Don’s mouth opened but before he could speak, E-Man said, “Tango Uniform: tits up. Military talk for dead or screwed up.” He bounced his shoulder. “You know Jordan, sometimes he forgets he’s not in the Air Force anymore and is a regular brother.”
Jordan frowned. “His plan was, like all fucked up and shit. Is that better?” To a man, the UrbanKnights leaned back in their seats, nodding.
“Yeah, that’s better,” E-Man said.
A grin snaked across Jordan’s face. “I hate you guys. Still, my point remains. I mean, seriously, I’m not hiding. Do a google search and my damn picture is right on the front page of the UrbanKnights website.”
Malcolm gestured. “He kidnapped Robin.”
“Only after we interfered with his operations. Think about it: if getting to me was a priority, he could have come after Robin the second he knew about the connection to me.”
“So, what you saying?” E-Man asked. He folded his arms across his chest.
“I’m saying that first and foremost is crush. Selling it. Making it – whatever. I’m just a bonus.”
E-Man wandered away from the desk. He turned back around wagging his finger. “I don’t know, man. That file from the CIA. It was the Serial Murder Digest, subject: Jordan Noble. Homie is all kinda obsessed with you.”
Jordan walked toward E-Man. “Yeah, see I was thinking that too. So, something very overwhelming must be keeping Random focused on the crush.”
“Something like what?” Malcolm was on his feet. “I didn’t see the scary file but from what you said, he really wants to pop your ass. What could keep him from that?”
“Something powerful.” The horn of Miles Davis went into ‘Miles Ahead’ and the room was so silent it was like a solo for the jazz giant.
“The CIA,” Robin said. Jordan had a smile for her, but she was of no mind to accept it. The winkles in her forehead and agape mouth told the tale of fear. Jordan looked over to Don and Malcolm and they had darting eyes and diverted glances. E-Man, conversely stood ramrod straight. His lips were tight and head shook a little. Jordan read his mind. The government. The one thing they agreed to not get involved with.
“Remember when I said, I’d chew you out later?” E-Man asked.
Jordan held up a hand. “No need. This is our fight only to a point. No Rambo here, feel me?”
E-Man shook his head. “Nope.”
“Ten minutes.”
E-Man hands swept out. “Do your thing, professor.”
Jordan nodded and went back to the desk. “OK, so he’s got to finish this sell – this demonstration somewhere. I’m thinking this list of yours is places he can continue production.”
“Hold on, hold on.” Don’s hands came up. “Why is the CIA involved in drugs?” Jordan was just a hair too slow to stop Malcolm.
“Are you kidding? Do you know that the drug trade is so prolific because of the United States government support of the various cartels? And this support is managed and controlled by the Central Intelligence Agency?”
Behind his glasses, Don’s eyes tightened. “Are you sure?”
Malcolm looked like he would explode. He drew in a long breath, ready to launch the next tirade, but Jordan cut in this time. “Whatever the case, this seems a little clumsy even for the CIA, Right, Malcolm?” The warning signs of Malcolm’s immediate eruption abated. “I’m less interested in who Cody is working for than where he might be.”
E-Man appeared at Jordan’s shoulder. “Why?”
Jordan stood up and faced his friend. “So I can tell the cops where to get him.” E-Man’s eyes did something – a twitch. Jordan had caught him off guard. He put his hand on E-Man’s shoulder. “This ain’t our case and frankly we wasted enough time on it.” He looked to his friends at the desk. “I’m not risking our lives over this anymore. My interest is in the fact Cody kinda wants to kill me. If I can take this fool off the board without having the shootout at the OK Corral, I’m good with that.”
Don leaned to Malcolm. “OK Corral?”
Malcolm shook his head. “It’s a cowboy thing.”
Jordan was more interested in Robin’s reaction. He sat at the edge of the desk near her. She had held her head down since coming to the conclusion that the principle spy agency for the most powerful country in the world may have been involved in her kidnapping. Jordan touched her shoulder and she flinched, eyes rocketing to his.
“You all right with this, Bird?”
Her answer didn’t come right away. She chuckled and ran her hand through her ponytailed hair. “Never a dull moment with you, huh, Jordan Noble?”
He squeezed her hand. “Wait ‘til the weekend.” They laughed.
“Just as long as he pays,” she said firmly. “He and that fool Kevin turned my world upside down.”
E-Man clapped his hand. “Works for me. So what? The list?”
Don grabbed the tablet from the center of the desk. “OK, like I said, what I got is a list of facilities Cody might be at -”
E-Man took the device out of Don’s hands. “And how did you get this list?”
“Well, like I said, Jackie was able to identify the materials, chemicals and equipment that Random would need to make his crush. From there I used an algorithm -”
“Ak!” E-Man put his palm in Don’s face. “Geek talk. I don’t need to hear any of that.” Don frowned. Robin reached and took the tablet out of E-Man’s grip.
“Jackie?” She turned to Jordan. “Is that the same girl you had a thing for in college?”
“I wouldn’t call it a thing,” Jordan said. He was beginning to wonder if the trust and blind loyalty from surrounding himself with close friends outweighed the professionalism
he’d get from strangers. He drew a breath to speak but Robin was faster.
“This is it.”
She leaned forward into the tablet and dragged her finger across the screen. Eyes locked in fierce intensity. “Oh, yeah,” she said, more to herself. “This is it.”
“How can you be so sure?” E-Man asked.
Robin turned to him. “Last Christmas, me and Kevin drove by here. He said that was going to be the next big thing. It was going to change our…his life.” She looked around at the men. “He was always like that. Like he knew when something big was going to happen before everyone else.”
Jordan looked over her shoulder. “Kevin and I,” he said as she released the tablet to him.
“Whatever, grammar police…” came from under her breath.
Jordan ignored her comment and focused on the page. It was an address on Woodward in downtown Detroit. The location was called Premier Medical Supply Corporation. Jordan formed a mental picture. It was at one of the stops of the People Mover. The monorail public transportation system designed to draw people back downtown. The notion was, if it was an easy way for shoppers, tourist, etc. to move around downtown, people would flock. At each of the stops along the People Mover’s route, business would spring up. These stops were to be centers from which an ever-growing circle would grow. Turns out, it was just ahead of its time. The handwriting was on the wall, however, and with the construction of the new football and baseball stadium completed, Detroit’s downtown was on its way to a rebirth.
“I know where this is,” Jordan said, “It’s not too far from here. Block or so south of the Fox.” Nods went around the table. The Fox Theatre was a Detroit landmark on Woodward Avenue older than any of them or their parents. He passed the device to Don. “Tell me about this Premier Medical. How does it fit in your algorithm?”
“Geek talk!” E-man had moved over to the couch by the window. His comment was ignored.
Don played with the tablet. Once he got his answer, he cleared his throat. “Charles Tate.”
“And he is…?”
Don said, “Well, he was in New York the same time as Small, and…” a pause, for dramatic effect, “he does have a rap sheet.”
Jordan cocked his head to one side, “Let me guess, drug trafficking.”
“No, insurance scams, but Charles Tate does own Tate Enterprises and one of his employees is Robert Fields. A security guard.”
Jordan said, “Not seeing any dots connecting.”
Don smiled. He enjoyed his own cleverness and the attention he got. “Robert Fields and Kevin Small had the same address for eighteen months. Same gas and phone bill address, too.”
“Lovers?” Malcolm asked.
“Um, I can pretty much guarantee that’s a no,” Robin said.
Don said, “He’s also the building manager for Premier Medical’s building. Controls entry and exits. Plus, he’s got a record too.”
Everyone said together, “Drug trafficking.”
Don leaned back and put his hands behind his head, “Yup.”
Robin smiled victoriously at Jordan. “Well, I’m no detective, but that seems like a lot of coincidences to me.”
“There are no coincidences in this business,” E-Man said, unknowingly echoing Jordan’s earlier thought.
Jordan found himself agreeing. But still, it was just a bunch of facts that happened to fit a theory. He liked it. It was really good, still, it was just as possible Random was meeting in a McDonald’s. Anything and everything was possible. He had to make a call and given all the facts at his fingertips, this was a good call.
“OK,” Jordan said after an eternity of silence, “load up the van.”
“No van,” E-Man said. He was tossing up and down a round knick knack serving as a decoration on the coffee table. Jordan fumed silently.
“Well, what do we have?” His voice went up in volume.
E-Man caught the ball and placed it back in its original position. He leaned forward and clasped his hands. “Jerome’s truck’s still downstairs. Think Ms. Brown got the keys.”
Jordan smiled wickedly. “Perfect. That guy owes me at least the cost of a truck for as long as he took setting up this wi-fi.” Jordan turned to Malcolm. “I’ll need some listening gear. Long range stuff. Don, get one of the computer rigs with software to clean up and record anything the listening stuff can pick up.”
“You got it, boss,” Malcolm said for the both of them and they left. E-Man caught Jordan by the arm.
“I know you said we’re just gonna verify Cody’s there, but I think I’ll get supplies, too…just in case.”
Jordan smiled. “Thanks, man.”
E-Man took a step back. He looked Jordan up and down. “So, is that the Canali suit?”
Jordan lifted his chin an inch. “Yeah. Figured it was time.”
“Figured right. Looking good, bruh.” E-Man flashed a broad grin and turned to leave. Jordan stood still for a moment just looking at the door. He was waiting for the doubt and misgiving to descend on him but nothing came. His chest swelled. Confidence was his only companion now. Robin stood close to Jordan. She gently kissed him.
“Thank you for trusting me,” she said.
Jordan took her by the shoulders. He drowned in her eyes for a few seconds. Her smile was the most beautiful thing he ever saw. He committed it to memory as he knew it would be a long time before he saw it again.
“You’re staying here.”
The smile, as expected, vanished. Her shoulders tensed in his grip. “Jordan, I thought I told you -”
“Robin, you helped. You did. You’re here with us, doing your part. If Cody Random is there, we’ll get him. But I shit you not, he is a dangerous man and I will not have you close to him.” Her mouth opened, but he cut her off. “Robin, you can hate me if you want, but dammit, this is the way it is.” Her eyes dropped. “E-Man told the fellas that bullshit about me being an instructor but I told you the truth. He and I are trained for this and we’re keeping our distance.” It was quiet again. He tightened his hold on her. She responded, looking back to him. The bottom lip jetted out and the soft mocha eyes looked as if any moment tears would form.
Jordan felt his heart break a little, but knew this was the moment to be strong. The point of impact, the end of the chase was very exciting, but dangerous. He felt no joy jumping into it. But he had to end his involvement. He’d turn over Cody Random to the authorities and let them handle it. If she wanted to be there to see them slap the cuffs on Cody, feel some kind of victory, she would just have to get over it. He was OK spending the rest of his life making it up to her.
“Robin,” The words were hushed. “I need to know we’re OK.”
“We’re OK.” If an award for most insincere answer existed, she’d be giving her acceptance speech. But the team was waiting and Cody was known for his ability to escape the law. He’d just have to deal with her later.
“Look, just wait for us here. I don’t know how long this will take, but…just stay here, please.”
“OK.” Again the insincerity dripped.
“Promise me.”
Robin sighed deeply, lifted her eyes to meet his.
“I promise, Jordan.”
Chapter Twenty-Five: The Pieces Come Together
The People Mover click-a-clacked to its Woodward Avenue stop. Young Alexia Gorkuta looked up at the building. A native of Poland visiting her grandparents, she wasn’t use to the larger buildings in an American urban center. She slipped out of her grandmother’s hand and pressed her nose to the window of the car. Slacked jaw, she gazed up at the old brownstone building. She saw a man in a huge window a floor above the tracks of the People Mover. She waved as the People Mover moved on its rounds. Cody Random waved back.
~
Random turned from the window. The location was perfect. Maybe something was to be said having this benefactor after all. Random looked over a sea of medical equipment of every type and size imagin
able. All sealed in protective transparent sheaths atop white work benches which in turn set on white tile floors. The room with the extra tall ceiling had white walls as well, creating at least the feeling of a clean and sterile environ. This single room almost occupied the entire seven hundred square feet of the floor, only the smallest amount dedicated to offices and facilities needed in any business. Such a pristine space seemed somehow sullied by its current occupants.
The plan for Premier Medical was to be a revolution in medical research. Going to be. It’s concept was low cost operation by subdividing more expensive research. So, instead of finding the cure to cancer, Premier would focus on one aspect, say data collection. In theory, a larger entity like a hospital could purchase the data and be spared sinking dollars, time and resources into something quite frankly isn’t what a hospital is good at. It was a fine concept. If it wasn’t complete bullshit. Premier was just a shell company buying equipment and locations, holding them, then when the market demand increases, selling those items to interested parties. It was an old story – buy low, sell high. And right now, Detroit real estate was still low. Change, it was a-coming, but for now, questionable actors like Charles Tate could still jump into the market and come out the other end, millions of dollars richer. In the meantime, this location, its equipment was just what Cody Random needed.