Chuck
I lay in bed wide-awake, with Lisa snuggled on my shoulder. I wanted to look at the clock to see what time it was as I felt rested and thought we should get up and get going.
Yesterday was strange. First the mess at Mac's with those screw-ups from the State Department, along with their partners from the CIA. When Brutus and I caught them, they were like sheep or lambs, or something with no substance.
We then discovered people were following us, and later found out someone was also tailing Steve and Dewey. I'll bet that bunch likes that we're close together. We're a lot easier to watch this way.
Last night, Lisa said that she really wanted to do some more sightseeing in England, especially around London. The weather was miserable yesterday, and the folks were so worn out from traveling that they really didn't get a chance to do more than a drive by of Buckingham Palace. They were headed to a museum to stay dry when Steve called. I'm willing to get wet to see some stuff that I've never seen before.
I reached over to caress Lisa's cheek. Her eyes opened with a smile. She leaned to me for a soft kiss and said, "Is all the business taken care of now? Can we go back to London?"
"It's all over but the signing, so I think we can be out of here this morning. It shouldn't be too tough to catch up with the rest of the folks when we get there. I don't want to wait for the State Department plane either. I want to leave this morning."
Lisa asked, "What time is it?"
"I have no idea, but it must be fairly late as I woke up rested."
Lisa turned and rose to look at the clock, "It's only ten to six. I feel rested too. Let's get showered and eat an early breakfast. We can push Steve and Dewey to get out of here."
Lisa was out of bed, heading to the bathroom, as I swung out of bed. I hopped after her, but stopped to take a leak. Lisa was getting up from the potty as I hopped in. She got into the big shower while I took my turn.
We did the quick shower routine, washing each other's hair real fast and scrubbing each other's back. As we washed, Lisa said, "It's so strange for there only to be two of us in the shower. I miss the girls, all of them. It seems like we have become more of a group than we were."
I answered, "Yeah, I miss them too, but I think that when everything settles out, the Fab Five are going to live in their own home. They are too much of a unit and enjoy each other without a lot of outside influence."
When we were out of the shower and drying, Lisa said, "I don't think so. I think they'll stay. The rest of us just have to give them some alone time together. They really do love you, Chuck. They're like the sisters. They are a unit. Can you think of a time when the Asian sisters, or your Fab Five, are really very far apart?"
"You're right about that. When we were confronted with danger, Brandy and Tiani were ultra-protective of the other three. Frieda was pretty aggressive, but those five stuck together like honey on fingers."
Lisa said, "Don't worry about it. It will work out. Tina, Maria, and the sisters know to leave them alone with they are into their closed mode. Watch, when they are feeling that way, the five of them pile up, with Brandy in the center. Tiani often lays on top of Brandy now. She used to lie on Frieda, but she can't now. Those five are really close."
"I still think it's strange the way that they always seem to want to be with me, but don't want to really make a commitment."
We were just about ready to go to the elevators, when Lisa said, "It's not that strange. The girls are really bisexual; they need a man, a safe man, and you are the one they chose. It may be a strange relationship, but I think you're stuck with them for a long time. They may go be by themselves sometimes, especially with the babies coming, but they'll be back. They've been planning on how and where the babies will be at the house. That's why they asked for the big room between the hall and your bedroom. We'll have to go through the nursery to get to the bedroom complex. They only have some sitting room stuff in there until the babies come. They have all kinds of decorations and busy stuff for the babies."
We were going down in the elevator, when I said, "I wish they had said something, as I would prefer the nursery to be off of the bedroom, instead between me and the outside world."
Lisa said, "They did it that way so that if they have nannies, they wouldn't be traipsing through the bedroom to get at the kids."
"They screwed up; they brought the nannies into our bed and made them sisters and lovers. I wonder if they will still be the nannies."
"They probably will still be the boss nannies," Lisa said, as the elevator door opened to the lobby.
Lisa and I quickly moved out to the side of the door to look around. A man sat up over by the desk on our right, and another man to our left that had been leaning against a pillar, stood up straight lifting his arm as if to look at his watch, but covered his mouth as he said something to someone. The guy standing nodded at us, so I guess he's okay. The other guy was still sitting, but also did the talk into the sleeve routine.
We walked to the restaurant to see if it was open yet. It was and surprise, surprise, Steve and Dewey were already sitting with coffee in front of them. Lisa and I sat down as I asked, "Have you guys been up long?"
Dewey said, "Naw, we just came down. Sam Perkins called from Hawaii about five to give us the appraisal numbers. He's faxing a copy of two appraisals for us to use as we negotiate. I've already called Herman Klein and Grant Baldair so we can get this done." Dewey picked up some papers, "The number crunchers gave me this as soon as we walked in. They will probably go to bed now, as they know I always want the numbers first thing in the morning. This place checks out so far, and the guys we're going in with are good guys."
Steve was smiling, "Nice to get involved with the big guys, isn't it? You made some good deals in Hawaii and now one of the good deals is going to be an even better deal."
Lisa was looking at me strangely, but then she doesn't really have any idea how much I've been able to accumulate. She doesn't really know how much I got from the pseudo wrestler, only that it was a lot. She doesn't care about money, so why mess with her mind. The money messes with my mind all the time. There's just so damn much of it.
We were finishing a light breakfast when the hotel owners showed up with another man they introduced as their attorney. We moved to a private room and were served more coffee. Dewey got right down to business with the two.
"I've had two independent appraisals of the Hawaiian property, and I'm sure you have a couple yourself. From what you're asking for the forty percent partnership of this hotel, you're going to be a few million short. How about we work a deal for the Hawaiian development to be five equal shares, but you two have to stand at least the difference in value of construction?"
Herman smiled, "We thought you might suggest something like that and have a document ready." He pulled a sheaf of papers from his big folder and began showing Dewey the portions they would pay, and at what point we would need to be contributing toward the development.
Dewey studied the papers for a while and was passing them to Steve, who read them before passing them to me. I read them, but they didn't mean that much to me. Lisa was leaning over, reading with me and gasped a couple of times when amounts were mentioned. These guys all dealt in seven figure numbers like most people handled change in their pockets.
When we were all done reading, Dewey looked at Steve, nodded before they both looked at me. All I could do is shrug my shoulders and smile. Dewey said, "Looks like we have a deal. We'll sign now, and you can go visit Sam Perkins in Hawaii to make sure the deeds are properly filed." Dewey used his cell phone and apparently woke Sam. He told Sam the details of the transaction so he could follow up on it.
Dewey, Steve, and I signed several places on the documents, then shook hands with the two partners to seal the deal. We all sat back to sip some coffee. Steve said, "Sue called last night and wants to just go back to Ireland, possibly do some sightseeing there, then get back on the water."
They must have seen the disappointment on Lisa's and my face as I said, "Darn, I really wanted to see more while we were here."
Steve said, "Then go ahead and go back to London. Let me call Sue to tell her."
I heard Steve say, "Good morning, Love, how are you today." In a second, he said, "That nice, huh? Well good, Chuck and Lisa want to come back to join you guys. Dewey and I have one more place to visit and then we can possibly meet you there too. Okay, I'll have Chuck call you when he gets in."
Steve turned to Lisa and me and said, "Sue says it's a beautiful day and she wants to stay a little longer, maybe today and tomorrow, and head back to Ireland in two days. Dewey and I should be done today and we should be able to join you this evening."
Lisa smiled at me and said, "Good, let's get our bag and get out of here."
I smiled and said, "I think if I ask, we can get a ride on the State Department airplane."
Lisa and I got up with me shaking hands all around again. I said, "Nice to do business with you guys. I should see you in Hawaii later this year. This should be a successful venture." They agreed with me and smiled.
As we walked out of the room, I approached the guy near the pillar with the lighter. We exchanged words and I told him my intentions. He raised his sleeve and said, "The primary is on the way back to London. Should he ride commercial or do you want to ferry him?"
The man listened for a second, then said, "Get your bags and we'll get you to the airport. They'll have the plane ready by the time you get there. You're getting the big shot treatment, all right. You must be somebody special."
Lisa and I just smiled.
The trip to the airport and flight to London was uneventful. We went to the hotel the families were staying in to find that the big suite was still being used. We stashed our bag and called Sue. She told us to meet the group at the Tower of London.
We met the huge group outside the famous castle. They had already made arrangements for a tour. Since our group was so big, we were in a private touring group. The guide droned on and on about William the Conqueror, Richard the Third, and loads of other interesting history. The Crown Jewels were a welcome relief from his droning. Too bad the guide didn't have a more pleasant voice. The tour lasted from nine all the way until noon.
Our bus driver/guide led us for a walk from there to Leadenhall Market, a 19th century shopping arcade. On the way, we stopped for lunch at a pub, and afterward went across town to Portobello Road. I was surprised to see that it was the scene of a major antiques market, including jewelry and knick knacks as well as furniture, filling shops and stalls for a couple of blocks. The rest of the day was spent watching the women look over just about every piece of merchandise in the street. While we were still at the market, Steve and Dewey joined us.
From there the guide showed us through a maze of what he said were 17th century streets while on the way to a pub he raved about, called The George and the Vulture. We had some pretty good roast beef with some local brew that was actually served chilled. For dessert, the girls all wanted "spotted dick" to find out what it was. It is a light-colored sponge layer of cake less than a half inch thick, studded with raisins, rolled tightly into a cylinder about the size and shape of an erect penis, and soaked in treacle syrup, hence the name, "spotted dick." There was a notation on the menu which said that to satisfy the bluenoses, it is sometimes called "spotted dog," but the other name is older and funnier.
The bus magically appeared to drive us back to the hotel. Once there, we met in the big suite to get the kids ready for bed and for the adults to enjoy some liquid libation.
Steve asked, "So, what about tomorrow?"
Sue asked the guide, "What can we see tomorrow if the weather is nice again."
The guide suggested, "How about we get a really early start to see Canterbury and the famous white cliffs of Dover on the way to the Chunnel? We can stay a night in Paris after some sightseeing, then come back to London to see some more. We won't give these rooms up so we can guarantee we still have them. What do you think, does that sound like a good idea?"
Brandy and Tiani were excited about the plan. Sue and her group liked the idea as well.
We spent the next day on the bus seeing Canterbury Cathedral, sort of the Vatican to the Church of England, and then swung by the coast for a look at the cliffs before heading to Ashford, the last place we could catch the Eurostar to Paris before it went underground (and underwater). The cathedral is a mix of architectural styles, mostly Gothic, with a really impressive chapel where King Henry II's former friend, Archbishop Thomas Á Becket, was chopped down by Henry's knights. The cliffs were a little weird, because we drove, then walked, across a green pasture until, all of a sudden, the grass stopped and air began. The cliffs are white chalk, not stone, more than 300 feet high.
We left the bus we rented in England to take the train through the Channel Tunnel to Paris. The time savings was important.
Paris was kind of neat. It's easy to see a lot of the big sites there, as they are all close together. We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower and then walked from there past Les Invalides, built as a veterans hospital around a church that now serves to house Napoleon's tomb, and across the Pont Alexandre III, an incredibly ornate bridge named after the Russian tsar who freed the serfs, past the Grand and Petit Palaces, fancy baroque looking buildings left over from a world's fair more than a hundred years ago, to the Champs Elysees. We walked along this famous tree-lined boulevard to the Place de la Concorde, which to our surprise has a big ferris wheel set up in it. All the kids wanted to ride this, so we did as the sun began to set. Looking east, we saw the Louvre palace, with its famous art collections, and looking north we saw the church of La Madeleine (Mary Magdalene) looking like a Roman temple and a big white domed church on a hill, looking like a wedding cake, which someone said was called Sacre Coeur, "Sacred Heart". When the day was done, we agreed to spend another day seeing a little of the Musee du Louvre or Louvre Museum, but first our guide hustled us all into a rented French bus and ran us up the hill to Sacre Coeur. From its front steps, as night fell, we saw the lights of Paris turn on, including the lights of the Eiffel Tower, which for five minutes after the top of the hour did a sparkling light show from thousands of LED lights supplementing its usual amber glow.
We spent the entire day going through the Louvre as a group. It would take weeks to see everything, but we took two separate tours to see as much as we could. The place was so fascinating, the kids even stayed quiet and in the group. Everybody's favorite was the "Winged Victory of Samothrace", a marble statue from ancient Greece mounted on a stairway landing, stone angel wings outspread and feet standing on what looked like the prow of a stone ship. Except for being headless, this statue was much more mind-blowing than the Mona Lisa, which we couldn't even get close to because of the crowds. See it at: The Louvre Website .
When we got up the next morning, the general consensus was to head back to London, check out the Royal Naval Museum, then stay the night there before heading back to Ireland.
We now not only had the guide leading us, but we had at least two guys in suits following us everywhere we went. This must have been duty from hell for them, since we weren't very organized and didn't follow any conventional paths. I did notice that one of the guys accompanying us in the museum listened to every word the lecture guides said. It was interesting.
We spent the day lazily going back through the Channel Tunnel then spending the rest of the day getting some needed rest and planning what we wished to do.
The next day, we went to the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth, south of London, which includes some big old, sailing ships that are kept in pristine condition. The HMS Victory has three rows of cannons on each side, an amazing ship. The HMS Warrior was huge, black, very long ship that was very intimidating. and in a special building, under a constant spray of water to keep it from drying out is the HMS Mary Rose. The ship sank in 1545 but was found and salvaged started in 1971. Now the ship is restored as much as possible but the salvaged parts are very delicate from having been under water for so many years.
As the day progressed, our bus driver guide encouraged us to begin the trek back to Ireland as it would be late by the time we made it back to Mac's.
It did take a long time. The drive to Wales for the ferry was a long one, especially with a detour along the way to see Stonehenge, the mysterious ancient circle of stones, the ferry ride took a while, and the train back to Mac's was a long way. It was way past midnight, early in the morning, by the time we arrived by bus from the train station. All the adults had to lead or carry the kids up to bed. The moms just put them straight to bed without baths since it was so late.
Mac had the adults down in his big playroom, as I called it, to have a couple of drinks. The people talked about all the sights they had seen.
Brutus got me off to the side and told me, "I've had at least two groups watching the house, but they have come to the door to advise me each day. You must have impressed them." Brutus looked around, then said, "I noticed that there was a car following the bus when you drove up. Did you have company the whole time you were out?"
I said, "We did. I picked up the first guy when the State Department took us out to Wales to meet the ferry. We've had company all over London, through the Chunnel to Paris, and while we were there. I guess they intend to watch us."
"They make me nervous," Brutus said. "If they didn't come to tell me they were there, I would have gone out and eliminated them. The arsenal they had in those cars was scary. Wonder what that little gun is used for?"
Shaking my head I said, "You don't want to know. Those are for killing, not for protection."
When we went to bed, the ladies were feeling frisky and wanted attention. I did my best, and they did their best with each other and me. It was nearly three before I drifted off to sleep.
The day began with the men gathering in the garden atrium, having Bloody Marys. We talked about Dewey's new venture in Amsterdam, and also about a deal Mac had for Sue. Brutus asked if we were going to do some sightseeing in Ireland.
Brutus suggested we go to the General Post Office first. This site, along with some other sites associated with the 1916 uprising showed some of Ireland's struggle for independence and would teach us some important history.
Mac said that we could go see County Meath and that would include Newgrange, a prehistoric passage tomb of world renown. While we were out that way, we could see some real castles and abbeys.
That was what we did. While we were at County Meath, one of our shadows came to me, exchanged passwords, and asked, "Would it be possible for you to give us a little idea of what your itinerary is going to be? It would help us plan."
I nodded and he gave me a card and a cell phone, saying, "Use this cell phone and call the number on the card. That way the phone is secure and you can give us a clue where you're going."
Lisa saw me talking to the guy and came up behind him to make sure of what was going on. I could see the other shadow get nervous when she approached us from his back. When she felt every thing was okay, she came to my side and put her arm around my waist.
Later, back at Mac's mini castle, Sue, Steve, and Mac went into deep conversation. Lisa and I spent a few minutes with the kids playing some music in their big playroom, but we were soon ready for bed.
In the garden atrium the next morning, Steve said, "Sue and I are going to look at something with Mac. He thinks we can help Ireland if Sue begins production over here. Sue is really going to have to study the local market to know what to manufacture to make a go of it. If you guys want to come along, you're welcome."
I told Steve, "I think I'll stick around here today and just relax. The family probably needs a breather. Some regular food would be nice too. Restaurant food is nice, but home cooking is a lot more satisfying."
Lisa and I spent the morning playing with the kids. They were having a great time showing each other what they could do. The ladies were also making plans for our trip to Italy.
That night, Steve told me that Sue agreed to begin making plans to use a former clothing manufacturing building to produce garments for the area. She said it would take a while to get the building into shape and to purchase new machinery. She also had to find someone to ramrod the place over here as well as finding fabric suppliers. Steve told Dewey and me, "Sue is really biting off a big chunk. I hope it works for her and for Mac. Sue has already started with the folks back home to find some shift leaders and seamstress teachers. She knows what it takes, and I'm sure she'll get it done."
Dewey suggested, "Have her send the people she's going to use over here to visit and to begin working with local people to hire and train the personnel they will need. If they get an early start, they'll be ahead. Who are you going to use to remodel the factory space?"
Steve said, "We can use our own people, including Terrell, to direct, but local labor for the work. This is a big deal to Mac, as he says Ireland is in need of employment for many people. He says this will be a major contribution."
Lisa, the Asian sisters, and I went out for a walk to get some exercise. We walked all around Mac's property, looking at his stables, checking out the beautiful horses he owned. As we walked the outer perimeter of the land, we noticed the observers following us. Lisa noticed as well, but didn't give any indication that it upset her. As we were walking back to the huge home, Lisa said, "I'll be glad to be back out on the water. All this extra protection is making me paranoid. If we're in that much danger, they need to advise us. If they're just being proactive to ward off suspected problems, they are sure making a nuisance of themselves."
That evening, we all gathered in the big library lounge to plan our trip to Italy. Mac and his wife were planning on joining Chandra, Michael, Lucille, Margaret, Serene, and the kids on the adventure. The trip was going to take our sailboat nine to ten days, depending on wind, while the big yacht could make it in five to six days. It was decided that the Irish Bell would leave a day after we did, and proceed at their normal cruising speed, arriving in Italy ahead of us and confirm transportation for our sightseeing.
While we were talking about the trip, Beth announced that Ben would be arriving in the morning to join us for the trip to Italy. I could tell Beth and Sue were pleased that Ben was coming.
Brandy came to me, "Are you going to call Julie? She told us she really wanted to travel to Italy with us."
I smiled at the Fab Five lead spokesperson, "So you miss our older playmate?"
Brandy giggled, "She's more like a den mother. She really does fit us well. I know I've enjoyed being around her and have enjoyed the advice she's given us. I would like to spend some more time with her."
I called Julie's cell number. When she answered, I told her, "We're planning on leaving tomorrow, if possible. If you want to join us on the trip to Italy, how about flying over tomorrow morning? Will that work for you?"
"I'll be there. There shouldn't be any problem getting a flight if I go real early. All I have to do is tell the kids and I'm out of here. I left all of my touring clothes on the boat. I don't know about living in the city. I love being a grandmother, but I'm not sure I'll be able to handle living here. You know, I may be traveling back to the island often to recharge my batteries."
We both laughed at that and hung up with a warm goodbye.
Brandy was listening to my side of the conversation and just looked at me. I said, "She'll be here tomorrow morning. I think she already misses all of us."
With that said, Brandy went to her group and told them of the conversation. Frieda looked over at me and winked, smiled, and mouthed, "Thank you."
The next morning, we were all up early, packing up to go to the boat. Beth had made arrangements to pick Ben up around ten. This would work out great, as Julie would be arriving about the same time. Brandy and Tiani were going with Beth so they could greet Julie.
Steve, Sue, Mercy, Dewey, Lisa, and I went to the yacht club to get the boat ready. Sue, Mercy, and Lisa began stocking the boat with fresh foods from the club's retail larder, while Dewey took charge of having the holding tanks flushed, and having the water and fuel levels checked.
I took the time to call John to see how everything was going. He said, "So, what are you up to? Central Intel and the State department have been all over your file. Are you planning on leaving the service?"
"No way, John. There seems to be some intelligence that suggests some of my past adventures have some people upset and they might want to get even. Out of the blue, I have shadows everywhere, watching me and the people I'm with. There haven't been any problems so far, but I do need to be watchful, just in case."
John said, "We don't have any intel that you might be in danger, but then, we usually only deal with what is here the states, not overseas. I've tried to get information from both groups, but they're not saying anything. You must have become important to be treated to this much security. I'm wondering if they may be using you for bait to try to lure someone out to make a try for you."
"I hope not," I said. "Keep trying to find out what you can. Call me on my cell or on the sat phone if you find out anything. How is everything else?"
"All's peaceful. The FBIers are putting the finishing touches on the case against the people you ran into when you were leaving Florida waters. It appears they're mixed up in a good-sized drug import project the DEA was working on. You just stepped up everything when you ran into that thing that was almost a submarine. You know, you need to stop hunting up trouble."
"Oh, John, you know I don't hunt for trouble, it seems to track me down. I just hope I can still stay ahead of any problems."
After hanging up with John, I called the office to find out how the girls were doing. Both said everything was fine, but they did miss having Wanda and me around.
I was up on deck when my cell went off. Mac was on the phone sounding frantic, "Chuck, Brutus just called me to tell me the two ladies and Julie have disappeared at the airport. He was with Beth while she met Ben. The other ladies went to another gate to meet Julie, but never returned."
"Mac, did Brutus have a tail? Did he have some of my security with him?"
Mac said, "Brutus said the guy following him stayed with him and didn't have anyone watching the girls. They have contacted law enforcement and are trying to look at security film right now."
"Okay, don't panic, Mac, Brandy and Tiani are pretty resourceful and Julie can be a force to be reckoned with. I'll call for help and see if I can get ferried to the airport."
I pulled the card from my wallet and used my cell to call the special number. When they answered, I said, "This is Charles Johnson. Some people that I have been traveling with have disappeared at the Dublin airport. I need help."
A voice said, "We are aware of the problem and have dispatched two teams to work with the locals. You need to remain available, but don't get involved unless we get the okay for you to act."
I pleaded, "What am I supposed to do? Just sit around with my thumbs up my butt waiting for answers? I need to be doing something."
"You need to stay where you are so you can be protected. Whatever is happening will quickly come to a head. All roads leading from the airport are covered right now and will be until the matter is resolved. Don't mess up the security."
Steve and Dewey had noticed my agitation and had migrated to me. I was told to call back in fifteen minutes for an update, so when I hung up I told them, "Brandy, Tiani, and Julie have disappeared from the airport where the two girls were meeting Julie. The law has no clue so far. I think we should close up here and go to the house to wait for news."
The girls were told to hold up on provisions. When we told them of the problem, you could see the shock on their faces. Lisa came to me and took hold of my arm, "Come away for a second, Chuck."
When we were out of earshot, Lisa said, "What did your State Department contacts have to say?"
I told her, "They said for me to stay out of it and they would investigate. They were afraid I would be too exposed if I was involved in the investigation."
Lisa looked at me sort of sideways, "Are you going to do it their way?"
"For right now, yes. But if I get a chance, I'll be in the middle of everything while they wonder how I got there."
Lisa said, "I'm in, we have to find them right away before something happens to them."
"I know," I said, as we rejoined the group.
I said, "Let me talk to the security guy watching us from the dock. I'll see if he's heard what's going on."
Without any subterfuge, I went straight to guy, who became alarmed that I walked up on him so quickly. When I asked if he was aware of a new problem, he said, "Yes, I was informed you may want to get away from us to search for your friends. I am to keep you in sight at all costs and to prevent you from interfering around the airport."
I looked at the guy as if he was off his rocker, "Are you going to try to do this by yourself?"
He shook his head, "There are two backups nearby and from what I'm told, they're doubling the guard until this problem is resolved. Now stay with your group so you can't be singled out."
I told him, "We're going back to the big house. From there, I can be better prepared to help if I'm needed. Advise who you need to, as we're leaving now."
The man handed me a cell phone and said it was secure, but had a tracking device in it in case we were separated.
We were almost back to the house when my personal cell phone rang. I said, "Johnson."
"If you want to see your three friends alive, this is what you will do. You will come alone to the Dublin airport, to the private aircraft area. Go to the office door of the second hangar from the terminal. You will be directed from there. Be unarmed and alone. Any problem and the ladies will be dead."
I tried to ask what they wanted but the connection was broken.
As soon as I hung up my personal cell phone, the phone given to me by the security rep rang. When I answered, "Johnson" a voice said, "We'll be arriving at the airport in force before you get there. We'll have the area blanketed before you enter that office. If you want, we can just take it right away. These are your friends, your call."
I asked, "How long before you get men into position?"
"About forty-five minutes. We're mobilizing now, but we have to use several vehicles to remain anonymous in case they are watching. We'll arrive one at a time and not show any organization. If you want, we can have a helicopter pick you up."
I told them, "I'm going to drop everyone off at the house and have one of your security people take me to the airport. That should be about the right amount of time for your people to get in place."
The voice said, "We want to bug you to be able to hear how much trouble you could be in. At least, we'll know when you might need us."
"Good, I'll be at the airport in about forty minutes."
The others were staring at me. Steve said, "I can help. You know I can be extra eyes for you. I may not be recently experienced, but I can help."
Lisa said, "You're not going anywhere without me. If you're going in, I'm going to find a way to watch your back."
Mercy looked at me, "Chuck, let Steve and Lisa help. I know you want to handle this by yourself, but you need them now."
I said, "You two will have to enter the airport in another vehicle. I should go in alone so they don't think I'm organizing an attack. I'll advise the security people of our plans and let them work with you."
I shrugged out of my coat and shoulder harness, and handed it to Steve. If you get caught with that, just tell them you're holding it for me. If you have to use it, hide it as soon as you're done. These Irish have a thing about guns."
At the house, it took a few minutes for Frieda, Judy, and Nancy to settle down. They were recriminating themselves for not going with Brandy and Tiani. I told them, "I'm glad you three are safe. If they had taken all five of you, I would be even more frantic. Stay here and take care of each other. I'll be back with your two special friends real quick.
Lisa put a long cardigan sweater on to hide her carry weapon. She told me, "If they take this one, I still have one on my thigh. I don't think they will find that one."
When I advised the security people about what I was doing, they said they were told to take me to the airport, but not the other two. I told them not to worry about them, but to just get me there. They placed a small bug under the lapel of my sport coat, but you couldn't detect it was there. As we left, Michael followed us out to the main road, carrying Steve and Lisa.
We arrived at the airport about fifty minutes after my last talk with the special number. I called in to tell them we were parking and was told the special task force was in place and would be available to come in if necessary. I told them, "I'm bringing two people to back me up. Both are my partners, and both can handle themselves. Give us some latitude and help them find an alternate way into that hangar.
When I went through the terminal, I immediately saw someone check me out and make a cell phone call. As I left the terminal, I could see and feel him following me. I was sure my security babysitter saw the man follow me and advised the task force that was in place.
I looked for task force people as I walked toward the hangars. I did see one man, but only a glimpse of him as he ducked back from view. The person following me couldn't have seen him as he was still obstructed by me.
When I stopped in front of the second hangar office door, the man following me said, "Go through the door and wait in the office. I'm right behind you and will hurt you if you try anything, now move."
I cautiously opened the door, suddenly remembering that I should have put my vest on while on the boat. Oh well, too late now. Inside the office the guy told me to raise my hands and began frisking me. When he found my prosthesis, he raised my pant leg to look at it but he didn't raise the pant leg high enough to see my hideout gun.
When he stood, he announced, "He's clean. The reason he walks funny is because he has a fake leg."
With that an older guy came into the room and smiled at me. "This was easier than I had anticipated. I think I will enjoy killing you. First though, I want to know how you were involved with our contractors. It almost has to be you."
"I'm just a Deputy Marshal. I don't do anything except track down escapees and people that harm federal employees."
"You're more than that. It almost had to be you that took out the Master and the others. It was too coincidental. Where did you get the money to fly those airplanes?"
I told them, "You haven't done your homework. You should have known I received two large settlements from a celebrity for attempting to harm me. You might have been involved with his agent, but he made me rich."
"Humpf" the guys grunted. "There's got to be more. What about down in Costa Rica?"
"While Martinelli was messing with me, he killed one of his playmates. The other girls killed him and fed him to the sharks. I only witnessed his disposal."
"Oh, yeah? What about all of his men?"
"Easy," I said. "I just released the barge they were sleeping on so it drifted out to sea. I have no idea what happened to them. They're probably on an island out there somewhere."
"I know you're still more than you appear. You've been involved in too much. What about that hit in Mobile. You were instrumental on that."
I told the guy, "I was doing my job. The service uses me to lead sometimes. I do what I'm told."
I paused for a second and asked, "Now that you've asked me a bunch of questions, how about showing me my friends. You have to be proud that you've captured three women, one of which is old enough to be my grandmother."
"Hee, hee, they were easy, that's for sure. The guys just pushed them out the door to our car, but by the time we reached the airport entrance, there were police everywhere. This is our hangar so we just came over here. Convenient, huh? Come on, I'll show you your women."
They led me through door to the hangar. In the middle of the hangar were the three women, Brandy, Tiani, and Julie, sitting on folding chairs. They were bound and gagged with duct tape. The guy told me, "Sit down in front of them for right now."
He turned to the two men with him, "Both of you, go outside to make sure there is no one close enough to hear, then come back. We'll finish the job, clean up, and leave."
As soon as his two men left through the same door I had come in, the guy pulled a cell phone, called someone, and said, "I got him. Do you still want to finish him? Okay, we should be able to do this quickly." He continued to talk to whoever was on the phone.
While I was sitting on the floor, I acted like my fake leg was bothering me and was rubbing where the prosthesis and leg met. While I was rubbing the leg, I was moving my pant leg higher.
The guy held the phone away from his head and said to me, "Be still, don't mess with your leg. You won't have to worry about it much longer." While he did this he was waving an automatic pistol with an un-cocked hammer.
He was talking low and turned away from us so we couldn't hear him. While his head was turned, I pulled my small Glock and tucked it under my thigh hiding it.
The guy hung up and kept looking at the door for his two men. After several minutes he said, "Don't think that you are safe just because my men didn't come right back. I'll shoot you myself."
I asked, "Who were you talking too. Just to make me feel better, since you're going to kill us all anyway, tell me. At least, I'll die knowing who's after me."
The guy looked at me thoughtfully, then said, "Yeah, why not. That was the Martinelli family's head. You took out a lot of his family down in Costa Rica, then messed with the second group that went down there. Now other people are trying to take over our business. We used to be worldwide and were doing fine; shipping through Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, but you messed that up. Then you go and get involved in a pickup meet south of Florida on your way here. You just are too much of a problem, so you are history."
You could tell he was becoming agitated because his men hadn't returned. The door to the hangar opened, but no one came through. I heard Lisa's voice say, "We have your men, put down your weapon and we'll let you live. This place is surrounded and believe me, you won't live to brag about this."
The guy frantically looked at me and the ladies, then back at the door and was turning back to me, saying "Fuck this," while trying to thumb the safety and the hammer.
I pulled my Glock and pointed it at his head. When he saw the Glock, his eyes got as big as quarters. "Wha?"
As he raised his gun, thumbing the hammer, I squeezed off a round. As my round pierced his head, the front of his head exploded as well, but what knocked him down were several rounds to his body. His gun fell to the hangar floor still un-cocked.
Lisa came running into the hangar, followed by Steve, both with pistols in their hands. Lisa hollered, "You okay, all of you?"
Steve and I began pulling the duct tape off from the girls' mouths as Lisa began un-taping their hands. Seconds later, five men came running through the door with pistols and rifles at the ready. They looked at the mess on the floor and one said, "Holy shit, how many rounds did you have to use?"
Steve was standing up, watching Lisa and me, when he said, "Lisa and Chuck hit him in the head at the same time, and I was using his mass for a target. He was turning to shoot the people here."
One of the men turned and asked me, "Where'd you get the gun?"
I smiled, "It's my backup. I try not to leave home without it."
Another guy entered the hangar and said, "Let's get these ladies out of here so they don't have to look at the mess."
Julie said, "I love to see a mess like that. I'd like to make a mess of the two who kidnapped us at the airport."
Little Tiani said, "I didn't think that I would ever want to hurt someone with a gun, but this guy needed to be killed. Those other two are lucky they weren't here too."
Brandy hugged Lisa first, then me. "Thank you both. You don't know how scared I was or we were. Thank you for saving us. Chuck, you shouldn't have done that. You knew they wanted you, didn't you? You shouldn't have come by yourself."
"I didn't, Brandy. As you can see, I brought Steve and Lisa."
Brandy was still hugging me and said, "But you took a big chance, you have to protect yourself."
I told her, "You three were more important to me. I needed to get you three first." I handed Brandy my cell phone and told her, "Call Mac's and tell the others all of us are okay."
Julie came to me and while hugging me she said, "You've done it again. Just about the time I was giving up hope, there you are again, saving everyone's ass. Now, can we get on that boat?"
I told her, "Soon."
As we made it to the hangar office, I got the senior security guy off to the side and said, "I have a lead on who is behind this."
He smiled at me and said, "We do too. We were monitoring the call that was just made from here. He was talking to someone in New York. I'm sure by now, several law enforcement agencies are closing in on that location. Go on, get out of here. We'll pull your chain if we need you. Here," he held out his hand, "Give me that last cell phone we gave you. You still have the other agency phone that still works and your own."
I was nodding when he said, "You should be able to enjoy your vacation now. From what I hear, the bunch from South Florida has been taken into custody, and this other bunch is now controlled. It may be that you need to vanish for a while, but right now, just enjoy your vacation."
I gathered everyone together and we made our way to the terminal where Michael, Mac, and Brutus were waiting. Michael said, "My car wasn't going to carry everyone, so I called Brutus to bring the van. Come on, let's go home."
Less than an hour later, we were all being hugged by the rest of the people waiting for us. You could tell the ordeal had the girls tired out. It was decided that we would spend the night at Mac's and try to get an early start tomorrow.
Sue told me, "Mercy and I have had all the fresh meat and produce put on the boat. We've made sure the water has been replenished and the fuel topped off. Dewey had the yacht club scrub the deck and outside down, along with washing all the glass. We'll be ready to sail as soon as we get there tomorrow."
That evening, Steve and I toasted each other for a job well done. Steve said, "It's been a while since I've been involved in anything like that. Glad I could help."
I told Steve, "I'm lucky to have a friend like you. Sure makes a difference when you know you have someone covering your back."
Lisa smiled, while hugging my arm. I told her, "You know, you are becoming good at getting there at the last minute. What happened before that?"
Lisa said, "When those two guys came out of the hangar office, we were almost on top of them, so Steve and I held them at gunpoint until the security team came and cuffed them. It didn't take much to get what the situation inside was out of them, so Steve and I came in. We waited until it looked like the guy was going to do something, then came in. He didn't give us a chance, so I aimed for a head shot in case he had armor. He didn't, as you saw what Steve did with his three rounds."
Lisa smiled at me and said, "You know, if we both do someone in the head at the same time, there isn't enough left to identify the guy. They'll have to use fingerprints and dental records."
We all celebrated a little for coming out on the good end of the encounter.
As we all left to go to bed, Mac stopped me, "I'm sorry your visit has been so traumatic. Next time you come, don't bring anyone with a grudge against you," he winked. "I promise a better, more relaxing time. I'll see you in the morning."
In bed, all of the women were very clutching and none wanted to be left out. We ended up snuggled together on the soft rug in the sitting room. I had Julie on one shoulder and Brandy on the other. Lisa was behind Julie and Tiani was lying on top of me. They all quickly went to sleep while I lay awake; wondering if that problem was resolved. My eyelids eventually grew heavy and I went off to sleep.