Hard Man to Kill (Dark Horse Guardian Series Book 4) (16 page)

The plan was for Rusty’s friend, Carter, to wear a long dark wig, which Rusty had cleverly brought with him, and he’d drive Lara’s Mercedes in a southerly direction on Interstate 95.  Lara, Monique, and Rusty would take Carter’s Jeep Cherokee on a long four-hour drive north to a place few people knew existed.  To get a head start, Carter, slipped on the long, dark wig, and Lara’s coat.  Mimicking her body movements, he hopped into Lara’s Mercedes and started driving south.  Within forty minutes, Rusty had a text from him.  “Being followed.  Will give them a long run.”

Lara’s phone rang, and she listened to Captain Redman as he gave her details.  “Mrs. Keegan, it might be best if you could lay low for a while.  Do you have another place you could stay for a few days until we gather more information?  From what we can tell, the leak was from someone in the State Department to a terror cell – the Islamic State – ma’am – are you there?”  

Lara exhaled, “Oh God, the State Department?  What about Ben?  Will he be safe?  How much detail was leaked?”

Redman paused, then said, “Ben’s name and home address was included in the data.  This makes you a target.  Can you get far away to a secluded location?”

Lara didn’t like his tone, it raised her hackles. “Yes, I can.  In fact, I’m heading out now.”  Einstein licked her face as he leaned against her.  “I have guns and plenty of ammo.  I will keep out of sight until I hear from you Captain Redman.”

“Good.” Redman seemed relieved.  “I’ll be in touch.  We know your husband, ma’am and respect him greatly.  Please know, we will do everything within our power to get as much information as we can to contain the situation.  Talk soon.” 

The call ended and even though Lara felt she should have faith in Captain Redman, she didn’t. She couldn't even trust the federal government, and she was supposed to trust the local government? Good Lord.  The State Department.  She couldn’t imagine how or why this happened and wanted answers. 

Rusty looked at her, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” 

Lara exhaled, “You want to come, too.” 

“Yup.” He muttered solemnly.  “I’ve got a stash of clothing and supplies up there.  Let’s go.”

After packing a few belongings, Monique and Lara got into the Jeep Cherokee as Rusty pulled onto Interstate 95 heading north to a destination located somewhere between Mud Pond and Wisdom Lake….off the map, so to speak.  Off the grid.  Rusty drove as Lara sent a text to the caretaker, Alvin. 
See you in four hours or so.  Urgently need to see you for a taxidermy project.

The text back simply said,
Yup
.

Pakistan

~ Ben ~

It was the last chance to extract information from Saleh.  Ben would pull out the stops.  There was something about this young man, he couldn’t decipher it just yet – but the young boy he was in the process of burying meant something to him.  Ben had to get the details -- get inside his head.

After sleeping and eating, Ben allowed his prisoner to use the bathroom with him standing at the doorway.  His plan seemed to be working.  By not interrogating Saleh immediately and roughing him up, the young man seemed to be softening, just a little.  He’d made eye contact with him a couple of times while eating.

It was a wretched place, really, the bunker beneath the cement factory.  No frills, but a tiny private room gave him the solitude he needed.  Ben glanced at his phone with the knowledge he had exactly two hours before the team had to be packed and out of there.  The other men were loading up, getting ready to leave as darkness descended above ground. 

He found the photos of William on his phone, and kept Saleh bound to a chair in the small room.  This question and answer session would be different.  He showed the photo of William to Saleh.  “This is my son.” Ben scrolled through six or seven photos of William slowly. 

He watched as Saleh’s eyes roamed over the photos and could tell he was gauging the age of the child.  “How old was the boy you were burying?” Ben asked gently.  He watched Saleh’s demeanor soften, and imagined he was recalling the task of shoveling dirt onto the boy’s body when the Dark Horse Guardians snatched him. 

“How old is the boy in the photo, your son?” Saleh asked predictably. 

“He just turned ten.” Ben said.  “I miss him very much.  As a soldier, I do not get to see my son very often, but I love him.  He means a lot to me.  Soon, he will be a man.  I have many things to teach him.  A father is important in a young man’s life.”

Saleh’s eyes changed at the mention of a father…there was a hardening, a defiance.  Saleh averted his eyes.  Ben sensed there was something there.  Not sure what, he continued to probe.  Ben continued, “I love my father.  I want my son to love me the same way.  And, to respect me.”

“Respect.” Saleh nearly spat the word.  “I do not understand that term.” 

“What is your father like?” Ben asked quietly. 

“My father is not someone I want to talk about.” Saleh turned away. 

“What has he done to make you feel this way?” Ben continued.

Saleh was silent but thinking.  Ben sensed this young man had tumultuous emotions running through him. 

“How old are you, Saleh?” Ben asked.

“Seventeen.” Saleh answered flatly.  “I am no longer a boy and haven’t been for a long time.”

“When did you become a man?” Ben queried.

“When I killed my first infidel.” Saleh answered.  “You must understand.  I do not love my father, and I do not respect my father.  I obey him.”

“Is that what happened to the young boy.  You killed him and buried him because you were obeying your father?” Ben was now fishing for answers.

“No.” Saleh’s eyes were defiant as they met Ben’s.  “My father killed him.  He was my brother.  I took care of him when my mother died.  It was my responsibility to bury him, properly.  Just like I buried my mother.  She was twenty when she died.  Only three years older than I am right now.”

For a moment, Ben was taken aback by the brutality of the scene Saleh most likely witnessed.  “You saw this happen?”

Saleh’s eyes welled with the beginning of tears, but he suddenly turned away.  “I don’t want to talk about this.”

“I have a feeling you hate your father, but you don’t dare to say the words.” Ben was right there at the edge, he could feel it.  Saleh was going to tell him everything.

Ben opened a bottle of Coke and gave Saleh a drink.  He said it was his favorite drink.  After a few gulps, his dark eyes met Ben’s.  “My father is a killer.  I am afraid he will kill me, especially after this.  That’s if you don’t kill me first.”

“I don’t want to kill you, Saleh.” Ben stated.  “In fact, I think you are an intelligent young man.”

“Not really…” Saleh replied.  “Abdul is the intelligent one.” 

“Who is Abdul?” Ben asked. 

“And, Ibrahim.  He is favored, too,” Saleh replied, his eyes glassy as if remembering something.

“Who is Ibrahim?” Ben quizzed.

Then, as if a flurry of emotion hit him, Saleh began talking.  Ben listened as the young man before him erupted with a passionate diatribe.  “Abdul and Ibrahim are my older brothers.  But, we have different mothers.  My mother is dead.  Their mother is alive.  They are charged with finding you, Keegan.  There’s a bounty on your head, half million.  Abdul and Ibrahim told my father they have found you, or someone close to you.  That is why he favors them.  My father said they are real men, and I am not.”  Saleh hung his head as if he was ashamed to continue.

“Where is Abdul, where is Ibrahim?” Ben continued prodding.  “Come on, Saleh.  Tell me.”

“They’re following you.  I don’t know where they are right now,” Saleh said, defeated.

“Listen to me,” Ben started.  “I have a deal for you, if you want to do it.  Are you interested?”

“What deal?” Saleh’s head lifted slightly. 

“I will turn you loose and not speak of capturing you, but I need something in return.”

Saleh’s demeanor brightened as a man who had just escaped the hangman’s noose.  “What do you need?”

“Information.  You contact me.  Let me know what Abdul, Ibrahim, and your father are doing every day.  I will give you a phone number.  But you would need to be able to deceive – do you understand?  You would need to be smart, resourceful, creative….do you think you could do that?”

Ben could see Saleh’s mind churning.  His life was on the line.  There was something else he wanted, but Ben didn’t know what it was.  Then he said it.  “My father.  I want him dead.  Do you understand?  No one can know this.”

“Trust me, this can be done, and no one will know you had anything to do with it.  I need information.  I will be your only contact.  Before you leave, I need to know everything about Abdul and Ibrahim and your father.  Every detail you can give me.” Ben exhaled.  The deal was made and the information dump began in earnest. 

Forty minutes later he pulled Moshe aside.  “He’s going to be an informant.  I’m cutting him loose.” 

Ben saw shocked horror in Moshe’s eyes.  “Have you lost your mind?  This kid has seen us.  He could identify us.  He knows too much.  We either kill him or take him prisoner.  I don’t want to let him go.”

“I seldom argue with you, but I know this is the right thing to do.  This kid detests his father.  The young boy he was burying was his brother.  He watched his old man pump bullets into his little brother’s brain.  If that’s not motivation, I don’t know what is.  Plus, he’s given me a boatload of information about his father, Salib Madi and his two older brothers.  Jesus, this will make your blood run cold.” Ben shoved the notes in front of Moshe.  “Read some of this.”

After a few minutes of reading, Moshe locked eyes with Ben’s.  “We’ve got to get the hell out of here in a few minutes.  If you really think this is going to work, then go ahead and kick him.  But does he understand what will happen to him if he doesn’t live up to his end of the bargain?” 

“Yeah.  I told him he’d be dead.  And, he’d never know where or how or who, but it would happen.” Ben stated matter-of-factly.

“All right.  Let’s get out of this shithole as soon as possible.  You take Saleh on a little ride, but bring some of the guys with you and don’t venture too far.”

“I’ll be back in fifteen.” Ben said.  He collected Saleh, still bound.  Then quickly strapped on body armor and a few weapons.  A pick-up truck from the cement facility was borrowed.  Ben, Elvis, Tom and Saleh rode about ten miles down the paved road and pulled over.  There was very little light, except for the slight glimmer of the stars and moon.  In the headlights, Ben cut Saleh loose and hopped back in the truck.

As he turned the truck around, he glanced at the reflection of Saleh in the rearview mirror.  The defiant young man walked on, without looking back.  Riding back to the cement plant, Ben hoped to God he was doing the right thing.  The men were eerily silent.  They parked the truck, got out and tossed their gear into the Humvees.  It was time to head toward the border in the black of night, never a good feeling. 

While driving toward the Pakistani border, Ben’s phone vibrated S.O.S. and he knew immediately it was Rusty.  “Yeah.”  The vehicle was bouncing all over the place and the men in the background were noisy.  Ben cupped the phone and shouted, “Quiet!”  He didn’t like the fact that Rusty was calling him.  It never was good news when he got a phone call from him while on a mission.

“Listen.” Rusty said. “Lara and Monique are being tracked by American jihadists here.  They’re at the black site until further notice.  Heads up -- the leak came from the State Department.” 

Ben muttered profanities, but knew being frustrated right now wouldn’t serve him well.  “Protect them.  I’ll be back soon.  I just got some bad news about Nazmin.  She was one of my best contacts in Pakistan; she was murdered.  It was brutal.  The bastards put it on YouTube.  Can’t let this go.”

“Damn.” He heard Rusty mutter.  “Don’t worry about us.  I can get the girls to a safe place.  You know where I’m going.”

“Thanks, take care you’re not being tailed.” Ben reminded him, but knew he didn’t have to.

“Got it covered, Chief.” Rusty said plainly.  “Catch you later.” 

At the end of the call, Ben felt as if things were falling apart.  It was the intel leak.  All of Lara’s hard work to stop it was for naught.   

~ Lara ~

              Four hours later with no stopping, Rusty finally turned down the winding unused road leading to the black site.  Lara was thankful that they were in a four-wheel drive Jeep Cherokee, as the road had been plowed by a front-end loader, but lots of snow remained, creating frozen ruts.  The ride was bumpy and slow; once or twice an animal’s eyes shone into the headlights.  Lara glanced at Monique, whose attention was fixed on the windshield. 

              “Where the hell are we?” Monique asked plaintively, sounding exhausted.

              “We’re here.” Lara smiled.  “Don’t worry.”

              “Who’s worried?  I could never find this place.  I still can’t even see it.” Monique replied as they got out of the vehicle.

              Rusty parked the Jeep behind the thicket and covered it with loose pine branches, as Lara, Monique and Einstein walked around outside.  The hoot of an owl nearly made Monique jump out of her skin.  Einstein was sniffing the ground around the steel hut, a smorgasbord of smells, Lara imagined.  After stretching their legs, Alvin Nichols, the caretaker, greeted them.