Having Fun with Dycke and Payne Ch. 09

Getting back to where the kidnapping would take place, there was a, definite, difference of opinion. The discussion was professional, but heated. Each group explained how, and why, they had chosen their particular point for the ambush to take place. Each was well thought out, and explained in detail. Other groups dissected it, picked out the good points and found the plans flaws. Then, they went on to the next group's position. At 11p.m., Marti stopped the meeting and told everyone to get some rest. They would reconvene at ten o'clock the next morning.

Dycke and all of the Temples were not living in a bubble, while all of this was going on. They heard the conversations. They heard the arguments and the raised voices. Each of them became more and more worried. Their lives were in the hands of these experts but they were worried, nonetheless. Dycke looked at each one of them and asked 'if they wanted out'. He told them that he would set them up in another part of the country to do whatever they wanted to do, away from him, and more importantly, away from the danger. He looked at Payne and said, "I would hate to lose you. I love you more than words can say, but if anything were to happen to you, because of me, I could never live with myself. I will give you anything that you want. You will never need anything in your entire life but I could not survive if you got hurt, because of me."

Payne looked at him and after she hit him said, "You idiot! Where would I be without you? I am not going anywhere. Where ever you go, I am going and if you try to leave me, I am going to put a collar around your neck and the leash is going to be around my wrist permanently." When she finished saying this, she kissed him and Dycke cried, like a baby.

Payne said, "Why are you crying, you're supposed to be happy?"

"I told you I am smarter than you are. These are happy tears!"

Payne hit him harder. "I told you never to say that, again."

He said, "I know, I just wanted to feel some pain to make sure you meant it."

Payne smacked him again, and said, "Are you sure now?"

"Yes, my love."

Piker and Alletta both laughed at the antics of the two kids. Piker said to Dycke, "Seeing that my daughter is staying, my wife and I will also."

"Thank you, dad. You will never know how much I appreciate it."

Steve, on the other hand, decided to see what he could get out of the situation, as usual. He asked, "What is in it for me, if I decide to stay?"

Dycke looked at him and replied, "You, I don't care if you stay or go. Have a good time, whatever your decision is."

Steve was furious. Piker Alletta and Payne were hysterical. This made Steve even more furious. Steve looked at them and said, "You don't care what happens to me, either?"

"No, Steve, we all care. Dycke just called your bluff 'and you had nothing to back it up, as usual. If you at least him had your car, you could drive away with that. You tried to get something else out of this situation, but by trying that gambit, you lost everything," his father said.

Payne retorted, "I keep telling you, Steve, that he is smarter than I am. If he is smarter than I am, you know damned well, that he is smarter than you are."

"I am going to have to kill him after all," Steve said.

Alletta replied, "That is what we need right now. Someone from the inside threatening to kill him, while we have kidnappers on the outside, trying to kidnap him and kill all of us."

Desiree, stuck her head into the room and asked, "Who is trying to kill Dycke now?"

"The usual suspect," Alletta said.

Desiree looked at Steve and said, "Should I call Joey in here, and have her teach you another lesson in manners?"

Steve looked at Desiree and replied, "I was just joking!"

Desiree said, "I was not."

Steve looked horrified and said, "I will be good, I promise."

Dycke looked at Steve and said, "If you are even a little bit hesitant, talk it over with your parents, and decide where you want to go, and I will set you up there in a college that will accept you, and make sure you have work after you have completed 4 years or your master's degree or your doctorate."

Everyone but Steve laughed at the suggestion that Steve could possibly go beyond four years of college, but thought it was a nice touch, for Dycke to offer it.

However, Steve complained, again. "You were going to set Payne up for life. Why not me?"

Dycke replied, "Steve, you barely like me, and you just threatened to kill me. I think I am being more than generous in offering you this transition to a new life."

Piker looked at his son and said, "One day, Steve, you will learn to keep your mouth shut, before you stick both feet into it."

"Do you think it is okay, if I take them out of my mouth now? It is hard to eat crow, with sneakers in there?"

Everyone laughed at Steve, and his remark, as he mimicked, trying to take shoes out of his mouth.

It was approaching midnight, and Dycke turned to Payne and said, "You struck me twice in the last half-hour, and it is time for me to get even. I am going to use the paddles, and take some pictures, tonight. To the bedroom, my dear, it is time to bear your derrière."

"Don't you talk like that in front of Steve, and my parents?"

"Payne dear, you must remember, it was your father that gave me the idea. As for Steve, it will drive him crazy, knowing that there are at least four people in the house that are having 'congress' and he is alone and dreaming about pass conquests."

Steve said, "You son of a bitch!"

Dycke replied, "Steve, you know both my parents. How could you possibly say that?"

Steve knew that Dycke had gotten him, again. He threw his hands up in the air, said something under his breath, and stormed away.

Payne looked at her father and said, "Dad, I will get you for this!"

Alletta replied, "No dear, I will get him for this. Dycke when you are finished with the paddles, may I borrow them?"

Dycke looked at Piker and said, "All is fair in love and war, dad. Yes, mom, you can have them tomorrow."

Piker looked at Dycke, "This is not included in the one million dollars or in my salary. You owe me big time, Dycke. She swings a mean paddle."

Payne giggled and took Dycke's hand and started upstairs to their bedroom. She thought, by the time they reached the third floor, she would think of a way to talking him out of it. She was wrong, and Dycke took some excellent pictures of two, fire engine red cheeks.

The next morning, at breakfast, Payne had to sit on a very soft pillow and she grimaced every time she moved. Her father and mother grinned at Payne, and her discomfort.

Steve laughed every time she moved.

Payne looked at her brother, and said, "Do not close your eyes, or turn your back brother. Strange things have been known to happen, in strange houses."

Piker left as Payne threatened her brother. Then, he asked Dycke, "How many times, son?"

"Five swats to each cheek, dad."

Payne said, "It felt like I was being caned."

"Don't worry, dear. Tomorrow morning, you will be able to laugh at your father."

"It will not matter, mom. My pride hurts worse than my rear. I lost a bet to Dycke, because I did not think the problem through. I did it, again, the other night, and that is when you caught us in bed together, the following morning. He makes a habit out of baiting me, and I jump at it knowing I cannot lose. Then, he springs the trap and I loose, again. When I look back a moment later, I want to kick myself, because the answer is so obvious. Then he says to me is, "I told you I am smarter than you are." I want to kill him for that, but he is correct."

Alletta said, "Dear, it does not mean he is smarter than you are. It is like trying to compare Einstein with Fermi. Einstein created the theory. Fermi created the product."

Payne smiled, "That's why I like having you around mom. You always make me feel better."

"You're welcome, dear. Anytime you need me, I'm here."

In the recreation room, tempers were wearing thin and opinions were still quite far apart, as to where the kidnappers would have the best opportunity to strike. Fiona had a brainstorm and said, "Everyone relax, I have the answer."

She called out, "Alletta, come here, please."

Alletta was very surprised to be summoned to the room where all the planning was being done. She could not imagine what value she could be to the discussions that concerned life and death situations. When she got to the room, she found out exactly why she was needed.

Fiona said to those gathered, "I would like you to meet the best shopper in all Charleston. Nothing goes on, close to Dorchester Road that Alletta does not know about. True, Alletta?"

Alletta smiled and said, "I have been known to spend a little time, and a few dollars, here and there, on that street. How can any of that knowledge help us?"

Marti asked her to look at the map and tell them where the busiest stores are, and the busiest intersections, and on what days?

Alletta started to speak, and thirty-five minutes later, all the men, and women in the room were startled by her knowledge, and feared for her husband's wallet. However, she narrowed down the possible attack points to two intersections, and two different days.

Alletta said, "Monday is the worst traffic day in both directions on Dorchester. Between 7:30 and 11:30 in the morning, traffic is a nightmare on Dorchester Road. After that, it thins out to where it is just unbearable for most of the day. It seems that everyone likes to play bumper cars, on Monday. So, instead of having two lanes of traffic, in each direction, you are forced into one lane. Your speed is down to five or ten miles an hour. People out jogging, are going faster, than any car.

On Sundays, everyone goes to the malls and again, traffic comes to a standstill, at the intersection of Dorchester and Appian Way. There are three malls: One on the Northeast, Southeast and Southwest corners. The traffic light there is infuriating. It is, at least, two minutes long and when it, finally, gets to you, it only lets three, or four cars go through, before it turns red. The stores do not realize how much money they lose, because I am sitting in the car waiting at the traffic light."

All of the agents broke into laughter. Piker, Dycke, and Payne, who had come in to the room and listened to Alletta, rattle off everything she knew about Dorchester Road and its stores were laughing with them.

Piker said, "Those stores loss is my gain."

Alletta turned to her husband and said, "There is my skinflint husband. Dycke gave Piker a bonus of one million dollars to leave his firm, and work for him. What did he give me from all of this, besides aggravation? Zip. Zero. Nothing! He put the money into accounts that requires his signature, or his, and one of his children's. His is always required. I cannot get at it, at all. It is not fair. If you hear screaming, and yelling, do not come running. I will be taking it out of his hide, inch by inch."

Again, laughter broke out in the room. Everyone was laughing except Piker, who knew she was not kidding.

Piker said, "Excuse me, but in my own defense, I would like to say that I wanted to save some money for our summer vacation. However, if I let Alletta have access that money in February, it would have been gone by the beginning of June."

Alletta screamed, "Not all of it!"

The entire room to broke-up into uncontrollable laughter.

After the room quieted, Piker asked Alletta, "When was the last time you spent money from your own account?"

She said, "Never! That is why I have your money."

"When is the last time you checked your bank balance?"

"I do not know. You do that for me."

"Yes Alletta, I do. That is how I know that you are a millionaire."

The look on Alletta's face was priceless. Her mouth was open, and her eyes were glazed. She was in a trance.

The people around her were laughing, and applauding, simultaneously.

Payne ran over to her mother, and said, "Can I have some money, mom. I want to start shopping, just like you!"

This shocked Alletta back to her normal state of mind. She said to Payne, "Go ask your father."

Even Marti could not control herself. Dycke and Steve were holding their sides, because they were laughing so hard.

When her secure phone vibrated, Marti knew she was receiving a text message. It read, "GS one minute."

Ten minutes later, they received a "Burst Transmission" via satellite from George Smith. It contained their plans for the operation to capture, and/or kill the kidnappers, when they tried to take Dycke.

After looking it over carefully, the team decided the FBI plan was deficient, in many areas. They set about the task of explaining to the FBI, nicely, that their original plan had missed many key points, and why their, updated plan, was better.

44. The FBI Comes Through

The one part of the burst transmission that was good news was the FBI had received permission to use Dycke's money for the extra forces that would be needed, for such a complex operation.

That was good news to Marti, because they were about to add an air and sea variant to the operation. The sea operation was an area the FBI had totally overlooked. When Marti's report was ready, they sent out the "Black" code followed by their own coded transmission, with their plan attached to it.

The FBI agents looked at it, and admitted it was better than their original plan. They did not think about water extraction points, through populated areas. They also did not know about the armored vehicle, coming in from Switzerland. This put a new wrinkle into the planning. After checking with Interpol, and with local telephone taps on the suspects, they realized that the kidnappers had not heard about it, either. This worked in their favor, because it would catch the kidnapper's off-guard.

After two more transmissions, Sunday, April 1st, was picked as traveling day for the principals and preparations, and coordination was begun, for the assault that would take place, at Dorchester Road and Appian Way.

The FBI made a request, through the appropriate channels, that Charleston Air Force Base be required to have a Homeland Security Drill, on the military side of the airport, where the Air Force had their weapons and munitions storage, supply depot, aircraft maintenance, and parking facilities. On Air Force property, there were three universities, multiple businesses and aircraft hangers, where business jets and other aircraft were stored and maintained. This ruse was essential to the plan, as it kept the would-be kidnappers away from aircraft that could be used in an attempted air escape. The alert would start at 2 o'clock in the morning and continue through 10 o'clock in the evening. This was going to be a Homeland Security Drill and every inch of the base was to be guarded and searched thoroughly. Each member of the security force would be on alert. Every person going onto and off the base would be subject to inspection, and identification protocols. Every aircraft was going to be guarded and the weapons storage depot would be locked down, and guarded like Fort Knox.

On Friday, March 30th, Marti got an e-mail from Gary. It stated, "New security protocol in effect. Had multiple friends try to break through with no success. System is secure. Feel free to use."

Marti was cryptic in her reply, simply saying, "Great news, and home soonest."

All their equipment was packed and ready to go. On Friday morning, however, a small moving van pulled up to the front gate. It was immediately surrounded by security agents and the driver showed the bill of lading to the lead agent. At the bottom, it was signed by George Smith. The agent still was not convinced and told the driver to get out and open the rear door. He ordered the security team to take cover and if anything, moved inside the truck, to fire at will. The driver rolled up the door and climbed in. The lead agent climbed in with him, with his gun at the ready. The driver said, "I'm going to reach in my pocket and show you my credentials."

The agent said, "Do it slowly, and with two fingers."

The driver did as he was told and pulled out his identification and handed it to the agent.

The agent stepped back opened it and it revealed that the driver was an FBI agent.

"Fuck, why didn't you just say so. You scared the shit out of me."

The man from the FBI said, "We still think somebody's watching the estate and we cannot pinpoint where he is."

"Okay, what's in the boxes?"

"Armor and guns."

The agent said, "Oh goody, more toys!"

"You will not think so when you see them."

The agent said, "Let's open a few and find out."

"You pick and I will open it."

After opening the first box and seeing the automatic handguns and shotguns that were in there, the agent did not need to see anything else. He told the man to drive the truck, slowly around to the garage area. The truck was escorted there by the six-armed men, just in case the lead agent had been fooled. He need not have been worried.

Fiona came outside to inspect the goods. She went through each box and inspected each one closely. It smelled like each gun had been recently fired, and then checked and each vest was clearly marked with the FBI insignia. There were, also, two boxes of bullet resistant headgear, with face shields, which she doubted they would have time to put on if shooting started at the hangar.

She looked at the rounds of ammunition for the handguns and they were armor piercing rounds. She looked at the rounds for the shotguns and they were not. She could understand the logic behind that decision. In close quarters, a bullet was aimed at a perpetrators chest. A shotgun is addressed to, "To Whom It May Concern?" At close range, 6 to 10 feet, a blast from a shotgun could take down a perpetrator and the person to the right and left of him. It was best to use the nonlethal rounds to knock them down and injure them but not kill an innocent bystander, who happened to be standing next to him. The men they would be facing would definitely be wearing protective gear. The bullets they would be facing would penetrate their armor without a second thought.

Marti received an e-mail from Gary: "The eyes that were on you have left the scene and on their way here. The eyes on the aircraft are still in place. The pilots are under surveillance, but no contact has been made with them. I am inside their heads now. Would you like me to do anything?"

Marti replied, "Let the FBI know now. I will think about our end and get back to you later."

Marti called another meeting to update the action plan. It was only supposed to be for the agents, but Dycke, Payne, Steve, Alletta, and Piker asked if they could sit in, because it concerned them, also.

Marti welcomed them to the meeting and told them to join in and raise any question or concerns.

She then took control of the meeting and said, "Okay, boys and girls, tea time is over. It is time to earn your money. The estate is no longer under surveillance and I have decided to move up the departure times for our cars. It was a five-hour trip from the estate to the Charleston airport. However, you are not going there. You are going to go home, rest, retrieve your civilian vehicles, and clothes. You shall move your Hummers to an area where they would not be seen or stand out."

Marti pointed to the map on the wall, which showed Dorchester Road from Cross County Road to Delmar Highway, which is 18 miles beyond Appian Way, on Dorchester. She said, "This is the way I believe the attempt to take Dycke will go down. Our aircraft will arrive in the hangar, promptly at one o'clock. When we land, one fixed wing aircraft and one helicopter will take off. They will be our 'spies in the sky'. Everyone will disembark from the aircraft, as usual, and we will leave the hangar at 1:03... When we turn on to Dorchester Road, I anticipate that we will pick up a two or three car tail. The FBI will be looking for any car, making radical movements, behind us, as we make that turn. When we approach the first traffic light, the Feds will make sure the light turns red. If they have spotted the cars, they will move some of their cars into a position, where the tails can be neutralized.