Cold Blooded Assassin Book 6: Red Horizon (Nick McCarty Assassin) (25 page)

“I can’t speak for everyone,” Rita stated, “but please don’t do that. If not for Jean we would never have heard about that bitch, Florence, trying to brainwash our kids.”

“Rita’s right. We have to make a stand somewhere,” Ruth added. “I’d rather beat these assholes than appease them.”

“Same with me,” Jim said. “We talked before this incident. We know they attacked you on the street and you killed all of them. Speaking only for myself… oh hell yeah! That’s what I’m talkin’ about. We didn’t fight the damn war so we could give these bastards our country on the sly. We’re at war! The sooner our idiot leaders understand that the better. It’s an honor knowing you, Marshal McCarty.”

Nick shook his hand again. “It will always be just Nick to all of you. If anything ever happens you’re uncomfortable with, each of you have my number. Don’t hesitate to call. My Justice Department cohorts and I have teamed with a group of federal agents in the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Area. We’re forming a strike force to combat these threats. I hope all of you will be comfortable with relaying anything out of the ordinary in our area to me. We know because of the ports and coastal areas, the terrorist groups are establishing cells onshore and offshore. We believe they’re trying to form No-Go enclaves on the coast under Sharia Law, and forbidden to outsiders, just as they have in Europe. We’re going to stop them. I’ll be dead before I allow anything like is happening in Michigan. We can’t have whole Muslim armies with armories inside their mosques ready to move on orders.”

“Yes! Finally! Someone speaking the words we know to be true,” Rita said. “They keep repeating the same clichés about it’s only a few radicals. Then, out of the blue, a San Bernardino rampage happens. The moment it ended, the dupes in the media immediately whitewash the terrorists as if they were the victims. Good Lord! We are so stupid!”

“Instead of prayer rugs, beads, and Sharia Law, we should be teaching our kids how and why America doesn’t need third world diversity and bullshit terrorist Trojan Horses ferrying our nation’s enemies into our midst so we can accept our own slavery,” Ruth stated.

“Damn right! My kids will know right from wrong. I hear all the time ‘you’re black… we have to fight the man’. Like Ruth said – bullshit. They don’t even teach kids anymore that only two percent of Americans owned slaves, and some of the biggest slave holders in the nation were black, like William Ellison. He even supported the confederate cause. The idiots don’t even teach who brought black slaves to the Horn of Africa. The Arab slave traders brought them to the coast in the millions. They still operate there now. To me… the world only has one enemy… and it ain’t the white man. We’re all Americans! When do we get off the liberal plantation and start acting like it? I’m with you, Nick! My family will keep our eyes open. If we see something strange, we’ll contact you right away, brother.”

“Thank you. I can’t tell you how good it is to talk with citizens who feel the same way as I do about this crap. I better get over to the station and make sure the Nazari gang gets locked away. C’mon, Deke. We better go let Rachel blast me for not phoning her within seconds of this Nazari incident. If I look beaten the next time you see me, it will be because I didn’t talk fast enough. Bye for now.”

Laughter followed Nick and Deke on the way to the car.

“You disobeyed a direct order, dog,” Nick informed the unrepentant Deke. He hugged him. “Thank you.”

Nick breathed deeply. He called Gus, giving his longtime friend the Reader’s Digest version of what happened. “I’ll be joining you and Johnny at the beach but it’s going to be a little later. I have to take care of statements to put the Nazari bunch in jail. There’s no doubt about a connection between the Kaders, Nazaris, and the Isis flakes who sent Ishmael and his buddies after me.”

“I’ll call Kabong. They tried to snatch Jean. Hopefully they’ll get out and we’ll deposit them in the ocean. Text me when you leave for the Point. Johnny will bring the satellite gear so we can check out this new Kader thumb-drive info.”

“Nazari’s wife is a cover. I’d be surprised if she didn’t marry him so he could gain entry into the states. They’ll probably allow her to leave if they free any of them. She should be charged as a co-conspirator in a kidnapping. I’ll talk to you at the Point.”

Nick drove to his house. Rachel awaited him at the door. “Jean told me what happened.”

“Nazari knew about the Kader deaths last night. That’s no coincidence. After I file charges and make a statement I’ll meet Gus and Johnny so we can go over the names we do have. Take everything with you to work, babe – your 9mm along with the pepper spray and stun-gun. Keep your eyes open for anyone suspicious at the Café.”

Rachel grinned. “Shall I profile?”

“You’d better,” Nick replied.

“I already told Joe, Quinn’s coming along with me so just watch out for yourself, Muerto.”

“Will do. Keep the phone near at hand.”

* * *

Deke pranced in front of Nick on the way to Otter’s Point, his tail wagging at hyper-speed as he inhaled every scent, happy to be outside. Nick, on the other hand, observed every vehicle suspiciously, knowing he had been officially targeted. The need to remove the threats against him would involve Al-Kadi’s place at Pilot Hill. The two men arrested with Nazari listed their residence as the compound. They would not be going anywhere for a while though. Nick could only assume the two men were the assassins mentioned by Ishmael. Gus and Johnny sat in their regular place with Gus spaced ten feet away from his friend, the infamous birdman of the beach. The swirl of flying rodents around Johnny as he fed them the last of his bread treats dissipated quickly once the feeding ended.

Nick let Deke off his leash to run at Gus and Johnny before swerving away for the hunt along the rocks of the deserted beach. Nick placed his beach chair in Gus’s buffer zone separating him from the birdman’s completed feeding. Each of them held out a mug for their ration of the spiked coffee Nick brought along in a huge thermos. He poured and sat, sipping the concoction while watching the calmer wave action of the day.

“I talked with the DA and Neil when I finished my statement. My statement combined with the other parents’ versions of what happened at the school meshed well enough for the DA to recommend their transfer to federal custody. There won’t be any deals. It was as I suspected – Florence married Majd to provide him entry into America. The other two have phony papers. I called the two FBI agents working out of San Francisco we met before the cruise. They were very interested in the Kader thumb-drive info and the fact Nazari’s two friends were probably the assassins mentioned on the drive. Sam told me he and Janie would pass the information to John Harding’s crew. They’re coming down to take custody of both Nazaris and the two men. Neil will hold onto the driver for the time being. I’ll probably have to deal with him later.”

“Is it possible they might take their prisoners to visit Cruella Deville first,” Johnny asked.

“Great minds think alike, Johnny. I asked them if they would be taking them to Lynn or if they could give them to us,” Nick replied. “Sam told me if they can get away with it, they will do exactly that. I explained the connection between our Kader problem and the Nazari/Pilot Hill compound thread. They want to know how to stop the No-Go Zone infiltration too. Sam’s worried they want to make a Dearbornistan size Muslim No-Go Zone with mosques housing armories, complete with training centers all along the California coast.”

“Since you know there’s a Fatwa that’s been issued for your death, are you still planning to go with Fernando and Senta to the compound under the guise of offering your services as an assassin,” Gus asked. “That seems like a suicide mission now.”

“It all depends on how the training is proceeding under Lynn’s guidance. I would not underestimate Lynn’s persuasion ability. I saw those two once she did the initial introduction. They literally would have done anything she wanted already. She will have them trained for their scene. It will be my responsibility to use their introduction into Al-Kadi’s compound to explain my status. I’ll be able to find out if our cartoon Unholy Trio identities have been pierced. I admit I’ve been getting a little careless.”

“Didn’t you mention being offered a contract on one of those Saudi princes,” Gus remarked. “Maybe you could use the contract as a way into Al-Kadi’s confidence. You could ask him if he knew anything about the contract on the Dark Web and whether he would want you to go through with it or not.”

“Not bad, Gus. It might get me a meeting with him while John Harding’s crew establishes a perimeter. Get out the satellite laptop and check out if there is a mention of a Fatwa issued on my ass. See if you can find mention of it first. Then find out if I’m mentioned by name or reputation. Neil surprised me when he mentioned a Fatwa. I did a scan of the info along with you and I didn’t see any Fatwa mentioned. I asked Neil about it. He told me because of so many attempts on my life lately, Neil figured that I’d been marked for death. I’m hoping it was a misunderstanding.”

“No mention of a Fatwa for either your real name, or the Terminator, or the ‘Mr. Robinson’ name you went by in the Frank Richert days with the rogue NSA outfit. You could play this trouble with the Kaders and Nazaris as a courtesy to Al-Kadi, letting him know you weren’t doing hits on his people. None of them are surviving this purge anyway.”

“We have an extensive data mining program on the worst chatter spots. If they don’t have any mention of it, then it’s probably not out there. Good input, Johnny. I think we have to hope Sam and Janie can put the Nazaris and company into Lynn’s hands. I’ll call him just in case she does get the chance. I need to know if Al-Kadi wanted those Kader guys to kill me or if they were using Al-Kadi’s compound as a base for their private business.”

“Do you want me to check the Dark Web for any mention of the Saudi prince on there?”

“Yes. His name is Rabiah Al-Saud.”

A few moments later, Johnny glanced away from his screen with a grin. “Isis wants him dead because he funds Al-Qaeda, their rival on the Arabian Peninsula. Rabiah has a price on his head and is in hiding. I believe you have found a legitimate item of interest to discuss with Al-Kadi, Muerto.”

“Yeah, if I don’t get shot first.”

“Someone that can outdraw you, Muerto?”

“It’s hard to outdraw someone with an AK47 pointed at your head, Payaso,” Nick replied.

“True… don’t let that happen.”

* * *

Lynn watched the reality play acted out by her two new stars Fernando Carone and Senta Bulgar. I played the part of Al-Kadi, greeting the two, and asking why they brought an imaginary Nick along. The two rehearsed under pressure and strived to please in any nuance Lynn thought needed work. After their second day of training, the two could talk their way out of anything I tried to trick them with, using the information Jafar gathered on the operation at the Al-Kadi compound. They did so without hesitation or any sign of unease.

“Very impressive! I believe you two can fool anyone.”

“Thank you, Director Deville,” Senta replied instantly as taught with Carone echoing her a split second later. The couple stood with heads lowered and hands at their sides.

“I liked your rehearsal phone call to Al-Kadi, Fernando. You handled all the initial reservations he would have logically, by spelling out the danger. Your reasoning in moving the Tempest to avoid the Coast Guard was delivered with perfect inflection in your voice.”

Carone repeated his thanks, never raising his head.

“Quays,” Lynn gestured for her minion. “You and Sylvio escort our acting crew down to their cells. That’s a wrap for the day.”

“How did John do, Mistress?”

“None of your business, Quays,” I retorted before Lynn could answer.

“Cardboard cutout perfection,” Lynn answered to her minions’ amusement. “If he were any stiffer doing this we’d need an interpreter to figure out his monotone delivery.”

“Thanks, Lynn.” I made as if to snatch at Quays as he and Sylvio pushed their captives out of the room. The two darted out only slightly ahead of my halfhearted grab. “They did very well. If Nick’s going to have a chance on the inside of the compound, it will hinge on those two staying in character until Nick can get into a position to act. I couldn’t trip them up at all.”

“When’s Sam and Janie due to deliver my new toys? You said they have as much to do with success as Carone and Bulgar. We need to move on the compound, Cheese. It’s one thing to scare the crap out of those two murderous scum, but it’s completely different letting them loose in the wild with Muerto’s life in the balance.”

“These four could be the key. Two of them are assassins sent from New York by that Kader family Nick’s people have been having trouble with. The other two are unknowns. We’ll separate the wife first. Her name’s Florence Nazari. Sam told me she was ready to break nearly the moment the Pacific Grove cops handed her over to actual FBI agents. Nick told me he needs to know whether those two assassins were sent to kill him by the Kader guy in New York or if Al-Kadi was in on it too, in which case we’ll need a new plan.”

“I get it. You figure the woman knows a hell of a lot and I can extract a plethora of facts to trip our male contestants.”

“That’s the plan, Lynn. Once Muerto gets in for an audience with Al-Kadi, he can recon guard numbers, look-outs, and possibly trick the number of men billeted at the compound in the initial conversation. Nick’s roving encounter with Al-Kadi may make the difference between our confiscating the compound or blowing the hell out of it.