Hinn Ch. 18-21

Author's Note - Please read from Chapter 1 to make sense of this. This is not a quick stroke story. There will be sexy-times, but they will only happen as the story's pace dictates.

Edited 12 November, 2019

All characters participating in sexual activities are 18 or older.

*****

Chapter 18

After all the dickering and signing, Ray authorized the transfer of the first 10% of the offer from the Zurich bank to Jessica's account, and they were aboard for the duration.

Hina walked over. "Ray, we'd like to suggest you consider employing three other firms. The government will expect to see you doing something like this if you have sufficient funds to force them to go to court, plus they bring other benefits.

"The first is Tongxin, a Taiwanese conglomerate with exceptional information security resources. They'd be your gateway to all internet resources, be it by cell, landline, wifi, whatever. They do not share information with the US government, to the best of our knowledge, nor do they share with the Chinese government. They probably share with the Taiwanese government, however, and there is ambiguous evidence that they may share some information occasionally with Taiwanese big business. They're the least entangled while most competent cyber company we know. We use them extensively.

"The second is Skepsi, a Greek-flagged, but effectively international,l moderate-sized private military contractor. They specialize in physical security and personal security. I know your capabilities, but they'd be a great asset to cut off many of the potential dirty tricks the NSA and Intelligence Community might try. It's good to have extra hands and eyes as a visible deterrent, even if their orders are to scatter at the first sign of dangerous conflict or on the client's command. There may be a problem with that, they are very proud of their aggressive reputation, and those tactics are not anything they usually would utilize. Then again, they don't yet know the capabilities of those they'd be supporting.

"Finally, Boch and Children. They're another effectively international organization founded and home-based out of South Africa, but their specialty is financial and transportation. In short, they're in effect highly skilled white-collar smugglers, getting funds and goods wherever their clients need regardless of local requirements. Please don't tell them we called them that, however! Hiring them will trigger an aggressive tax audit from the IRS, but in time you'll be facing that anyway if this doesn't settle down. It just so happens they are experts at handling audits.

"None are cheap, but all are the most trustworthy of their types we're aware of."

"Where is the nearest business place used by each of these?"

"Skepsi has their North American offices in Toronto, Boch and Tongxin both have branch offices in New York City. Why?"

"I'd prefer to work face-to-face on anything relating to this as much as practical. Do you think each company would send decision-capable personnel here, and if so, at what cost?"

"We work with Tongxin quite a bit. If you're serious about hiring them, our recommendation will almost certainly get someone capable of signing a deal here within a day or so, possibly hours. We have mixed history with both Skepsi and Boch, but they know we're not lightweights. Boch will want payment, probably in the range of a million. We're not sure what Skepsi's reaction or price will be."

Mac whispered, "Ray, Tauriz, I can get Skepsi ta show if you can get Jessica to ask 'em. Ya might even recognize some a' their people."

After coordinating with Tauriz on how best to barter, Ray said, "See if this makes sense to you folks. I'll offer a half million to each of the three, certified check, no strings other than a meeting of an hour or less, and an NDA with teeth covering the meeting, including background information and terms discussed. Whoever they send must include someone who can commit their company to a contract on the spot, potentially a non-standard contract. Agreeing on the contract is not a prerequisite for disbursal of the half-million, but acting in good faith is. Each company can send up to four to the meeting, and the area we'll meet at will be open to inspection to whomever they wish for up to a half-hour before the meeting. They'll be allowed to set up a close, less than thirty-foot distant perimeter if they desire. We'll submit to a proper, professional search before the meeting if their reps will. Recording will not be allowed other than pen and paper, and that will be discouraged outside of contractual documents. If they want to dicker, they can have one call with Tauriz in the next 24 hours to set a price or other terms, or we won't invite them. We'll see if there are other names in your hat in that case. That call will be less than half an hour in length. Each company will have its own meeting, scheduled as they agree to the terms."

Jessica's team didn't have a problem with it. Ray checked with the Dean to see if they could get one of the larger lecture halls used for freshman survey courses for the day, and he agreed he could make it happen.

Ray ordered three half-million certified checks sent via an urgent courier from the New York offices of his new Zurich-based bank. He would have them within two hours, for a hundred thousand dollar fee, which Ray authorized.

Jessica asked, "Ray, how did you know to add those terms to the offer to the three companies?"

"I've played Dungeons and Dragons for decades. These shenanigans are nothing -- you'll have to see the tap-dancing players use to get a wish that won't screw them over from a malicious spirit!"

"Is that the only reason?"

"Of course not. Tauriz is giving me advice from lots of examples."

"Do you need us here, Ray?"

"If I wish to immediately follow US law without having to learn the whole of it? Yes. If I wanted to dicker? Possibly not, but even there you folks have a breadth of knowledge and experience that neither of us has, which will make the job a LOT easier. If we have to take the gloves completely off? Still be useful to have your input, can't fight everything all the time.

"On the flip side of that coin, if you see us doing something weird, like providing lots of terms we shouldn't seem to be thinking about from our apparent backgrounds, I'd appreciate your input as appropriate."

"You'll have that, of course. Now, can you introduce me to your landlord? I'd like to see if there's a condo available we can use to set up an office."

"The condo directly under here is open, I know. The last tenant was a professor who passed without anyone to accept the asset, so it's tied up between the condo board, the University, and the courts. The condos are individual investments, with right of sale under veto by a board of investors. The property manager is under contract to that board of investors for the building as a whole."

"The University will back your acquisition, of course," mentioned the Dean in an aside.

"When's the next board meeting?"

Checking his phone, Ray said, "Three and a half weeks, but the board president has temporary authorization power between meetings. I think I recall hearing he's in Europe, and his second in charge is a prick I'd prefer to avoid."

"Think the president will accept a meeting invite in Europe? If so, I'll have colleagues meet with him and get the temporary approval."

"Doublecheck to see if he'd be back in time for the meeting. If not, the second in charge will be running it, and like I said, he's a prick who'd be upset he got cut out of the initial decision."

"Amber -- run with it, please. Once you know where the president is, let me know, and we'll pick an appropriate firm to partner with."

"On it, Jessica."

"Amber -- add an item to the agenda with the president -- if downstairs is the location purchased, get approval to build a private stairwell connecting the two floors. Suggest adding a clause that if one or both units are sold or abandoned, funds I'll put up in bond will be used to return the units to original condition."

"I can do that, Ray -- you OK with that, boss lady?"

"We can certainly work with that -- thanks for the offer, Ray, it would save a lot of minor hassles."

"No reason not to. And if the board doesn't approve, there are still things Tauriz and I could do to handle related issues. I just don't want to show off anything we don't have to."

"You two seem to be working the strategic issues solo. Is that deliberate? What can we do to assist, if anything?"

"Handling legal tactics and bureaucratic bumf will be a huge assist. We're holding close on details of techniques at this point. Not because we don't trust you -- if we didn't trust you, Tauriz would have told you a different but equally unlikely story. And much of the long-term strategy depends on the strengths and weaknesses of the techniques we have available."

"That's fine. As and when we can support, please ask."

"We're so shy and retiring, you'd never know," Ray teased.

His face got serious and hard. "They're moving. OK, folks -- everyone back into the kitchen, get behind the island and hunker down. Hopefully, it won't get messy, but we've got incoming. Go. NOW."

The law team, including the Dean, walked quickly into the kitchen as directed. Ray wished that the island become surprisingly, luckily bullet-resistant -- bullets would NOT be allowed through it. Instead of a round being allowed to pass through the island, every possible coincidence could and would occur. He set a duration of twelve hours on it, just in case. He also wished that any rounds fired towards the kitchen hit the island for the same twelve hours.

Walking over, he hugged Tauriz. "Ready, my dear?"

"Very. They do not know what they are about to face."

"I remember about the bindings, but if possible, please, nonlethal."

"I remember, and as much as I can, I promise you I will, my love."

Ray was visibly shocked and pleased, "A new name for me! I like it! Thank you, Tauriz!" He hugged her warmly.

"Y'know, I think it's time we went on the offensive. Let's go take a walk in the park, what do you say?"

"I do not like it, Ray. I can defend you better here."

"If we get into the public eye, and show an utter lack of weapons they understand, they are much less likely to shoot, is my thought."

"True, but they are also much more likely to be brave enough to attempt to arrest and hide you away, Master. I cannot allow that to happen."

"Understood, Tauriz. Then I won't go."

"Thank you, Ray."

"Looks like one of the FBI agents gets to be the door knocker."

Hearing that, Jessica asked for the agent's description. Ray said, "He's six foot three or four, built like a tank. Black buzzcut, federal shades, black suit. Has a big old scar going up his neck and left cheek."

"Damn, they dug out Prizwalter. That's one of the most decorated FBI agents still alive. He's incredibly dangerous -- do not let him distract or anger you. He's very, very skilled at both."

"Thanks for the tip, Jessica."

Moments later, there's a loud knock on the front door. "FBI! Open up!"

Opening said door, Ray asked, "And what can we do for you, Prizwalter?"

The agent froze for a split second. Complete lack of motion, not breathing, nothing. A fraction of a second later, he asked, "Dr. Helms? You're under arrest for terroristic threats. Please assume the position so I may cuff you."

"Do you have a copy of the warrant with you, Agent?"

"Yes, sir, I do, but for my own and others' safety, I need to ensure you are not a threat. Please, sir, put your hands on top of your head and turn away from me, then drop to your knees so I may put handcuffs on you."

"Public safety for an unarmed, non-aggressive, college professor, Prizwalter? Low even for you!" hollered Jessica from the other room.

"Smitts? Oh, happy day. You and your little coven there can come on out, and we'll bring you in for aiding and abetting. Professor, third and last chance, please assume the position."

"Until I see the legal warrant, Agent, I do not need to obey draconian commands such as you're attempting to offer."

"Smitts, you wish to inform your client about public safety clauses?"

"You want to provide a warrant first, Prizwalter? A LEGAL warrant for once?"

"I'll be back," the agent threatened.

"As long as you bring the warrant, you'll be welcomed peacefully, Agent. Until that time, you have no business here. Given that hallway is private property, please leave the building and do not return until you do have a legal warrant."

Agent Prizwalter turned and stalked away, not saying another word.

"Hunker down, folks, it's likely to be getting noisy soon."

"Yes, here they come."

Slipping free from Tauriz for a second, Ray stepped up and opened the front door, putting a wedge under it to keep it open. "No reason they get to get all adrenalin jumpy blowing the door open," he said as he returned to her embrace.

"That.... is mean, Ray. Excellent idea!"

"Thank you, Jessica, your praise means the world to me."

The strike team, covered head-to-toe in tactical armor and gadgetry, guns in hand paused when they saw the door open.

Ray called to them, "The door's open, lady and gentlemen, but unless you have a legal warrant you are executing, you are requested to leave this private property. Do you have a legal warrant?"

A flurry of hand signs flashed back and forth between the strike team members.

"They're going to attack, Ray."

Ray wished. Every explosive, incendiary, toxic, or electrical-generating compound the strike team carried outside their bodies turned into water. The strike team immediately noticed their lack of electronics and the leader signaled an immediate attack.

The lead trooper ran up to the door and bounced a grenade off the door, ricocheting it into the living room without ever entering the line of sight of anyone in the room. The spoon pinged off it, loud in the silence, followed by the anticlimactic thud of the grenade falling and rolling across the carpeting.

Ray crowed at them, "That's rude, officer! Also ineffective. It looks like you had a dud. Gee, imagine that. Government funds wasted on shoddy gear."

The rest of the strike team, working on trained reflex, tried to bull their way into the room, firearms first. Tauriz stepped up and kicked the lead officer in the center of his body armor, causing the line of troopers to get jammed up on each other in the doorway. Multiple clicks sounded as different people tried to fire suddenly inoperable weapons.

She yelled at them, "Where is your WARRANT, Officers? You are NOT WELCOME on this PRIVATE PROPERTY unless you are following LEGAL orders."

The leader dropped his gun to hang from its sling and pulled out a spring baton. This exceedingly nasty weapon fits inside a seven-inch cylinder when stored, but when extended to its full twenty-inch length it can crack through cinderblock with ease, or drop those it hits with massively painful bone bruises depending on how they wield it.

Tauriz just stood there, waiting, not even entering a ready stance.

"ON THE FLOOR!" the officer shouted. "WHERE'S YOUR WARRANT?" Tauriz shouted back. The officer stepped forward and swung.

Tauriz took the shot to her upper arm, not moving, not flinching. "That is ASSAULT with a deadly weapon, Officer."

He blinked and swung again as he'd been trained, aiming for her leg. He connected for a second time, and she was just as unmoved. The strike trooper had seen meth addicts drop crying in pain from strikes from this kind of weapon, and she didn't even seem to flinch.

"DUSTHEAD!" he shouted, and the two tangled-up officers immediately behind him awkwardly drew tasers out of their gear and fired at her.

Instead, they attempted to. The tasers, like their firearms, were inoperable.

"Leave. You have lost. You cannot win," advised Tauriz.

Dustheads didn't speak coherently. Only people high on angel dust could take that kind of punishment and ignore it. Something was slowly seeping into the officer's adrenaline-charged brain -- something was wrong here.

He threw up his left arm up in a sign they always practiced but had never had to use before. The rear-most officer took off running back the way they came, looking for higher command decisions.

Ray reached out with jawhar and welded shut the door to the stairwell, where the strike team had come out of, and the same one the running officer was heading to. The officer grabbed the knob and tried to wrench it open, only to bounce off the unexpectedly sealed steel fire door.

"Hrmm. It looks like you're stuck here. Last time, lady and gentlemen. Where's the warrant you're here under?"

"The FBI agent has it," the suddenly nervous and puzzled lead trooper said.

"Well? So you admit you're trying to assault people without legal authorization? Did you hear that, Jessica? "

"It's on recording, Ray."

"Wonderful! You folks are SO screwed. It's nothing personal, except that you just HIT my GIRLFRIEND. TWICE. With a FUCKING SPRING BATON. An apology MIGHT be appropriate right about now, Officer. Oh, wait -- that's electrical tape over your badge, isn't it? Let's see now..."

Ray stepped forward and snatched the tape off the officer's badge. "Badge number 23882, Jessica. No name tag, and I'll keep the electrical tape as evidence of their breaking the law." He stepped back just as the officer took a swing at him with the spring whip. Ray easily avoided the seemingly clumsy strike.

"Great job, Ray."

"So, badge number 23882, what do we call you? Officer what?"

"Officer er, Jones."

"Are you lying to me, Officer? If you are, we have your badge number. And if you're lying, you're committing multiple felonies, correct Jessica?"

"At least three, maybe more!"

"Three felonies. Maybe more. And gee, you can't keep your job with felonies on your record, can you, Officer? What a shame. I hope you enjoy guarding the neighborhood Dollar Store.

"Get out of here. All of you. Go. Do NOT come back unless you have a legal warrant."

Ray sheared the welds off the fire door silently with more jawhar. The officer who'd run for orders fell over as the door suddenly popped open. The rest of the troopers picked him up as they exited the floor.

Scooping up the grenade spoon, spring, and pin, Ray reassembled the device before reversing his wish for all the ammo, equipment, and other gear carried by the strike troopers excepting those devices that would immediately fire or otherwise activate. There was nothing he could do about those without risking the troop's lives with misfires.

Ray reconsidered and wished that all the misfired, dud rounds would become active as soon as the weapons or ammo were in positions that would harm no living being. There was a sudden, brief fusillade of shots in the stairwell. He also heard the discharge of one taser. That left one taser and four other firearm rounds, which remained to be reactivated by the wish.

"OK, folks - that should be the end of the second noisy period. Any bets on if there'll be a third one, and if so when and by whom?" asked Ray.

"No bets, please, Ray. That's a little too morbid, don't you think?" Jessica asked as she came out of the kitchen.

Ray handed her the grenade and the piece of electrical tape from the officer's badge. "Oh, very morbid, but also very realistic, sadly. That's a live grenade, by the way, so be careful with it, please."

Hina stepped out with a small first-aid kit. "Anyone hurt?"

"No one got hurt, thank you for asking though. Not even the officers, outside their pride and certainty, perhaps."

"Amazing."

For the first time in a while, Mac spoke up, "Ya see what I mean about them? Too tough. They're gonna be bringin' crap down around 'em for a while until this whole crapdoodle thing's settled."