Honor Thy Mother & Thy Father Ch. 26

"You swear it's legal, William."

"I swear on the lives of my family it's legal."

"That's good enough for me, William. What do we have to do?"

William gave him the shopping list of electronic equipment he needed, and then told him he needed to find a tall building with a clear view of the southern sky.

Abrams laughed at him. "William, how long have you been in New York?"

"I've been here about four months now, why do you ask?"

"Look to the south of the park and tell me if you see a big building with a large antenna at the top of it."

"Yes, it's the Empire State building, everyone knows that."

"Do you think that antenna will do?"

"Will they let us use it?"

Abrams took out his FBI credentials and said, "I think they may be able to help us. If not, we can always go out on the observation deck and do it from there. It will be a little chillier, but it will still work."

"Jack, make that $6 million, because you are a genius."

Abrams knew exactly where to go to get what William needed. It was a little, hole in the wall, pawnshop at 96^th St. and Madison Avenue. He had been there many times, but always with a warrant in his hand. When he walked through the front door and the clerk saw him Abrams shouted, "If you touch that fucking button I will shoot you where you stand."

The clerk did not move a muscle.

"Tell that black bastard to get his ass out here now."

Mike Toomey walked out of the back room, saw Abrams standing at the counter, and sucker punched the clerk. "Why didn't you push the button?"

"I told him I'd kill him if he did," Abrams said.

"Let me see your warrant scumbag."

"I'm here for business, not for pleasure, Mike. I need some things and if you say you don't have them, I will make a call and have a warrant here within an hour."

"What do you need?"

Abrams gave him the short list of what was needed, and said it had to be new, in sealed boxes, with extra batteries. He also needed a receipt.

"Come on Jack, a receipt? I have to charge you retail."

"I'm not paying Mike, he is. Make it legible, and don't forget to put the tax on it."

All the items were brought out, put on the counter and the bill made out. William said, "Jack, while I am taking care of this why don't you and this fellow take the stuff out to the car and I'll be there shortly."

"Mister Toomey, how many video recorders do you have of this transaction? Do not lie to me or this shop will burn down tomorrow morning."

"Mister, who the fuck do you think you are?"

"You don't believe my name is Benjamin Franklin?"

"You just paid me in 35 of those 'Benjamin's', so I don't care what your name is."

"My name is William Zabo, and unless you bring me all of the recordings of this conversation within the next four minutes, this shop, you and your entire family will cease to exist before the end of this week. I assume you have enough connections to find out who I am and what I can do. Don't fuck with me young man, you have three minutes left."

In his business, Mike Toomey had learned to read faces. As he looked into William's eyes he knew that his threat was real. He charged into the back room and removed all five tapes from his recording devices. He put them into a plastic bag and brought them out front.

"Sir, here they are, all of them. I swear on my life this is every one of the recordings I have."

"What about the one underneath the counter that I can see?"

"It's just a dummy for anyone who tries to rob us. They think that is the only one in the store. It's not hooked up to anything."

"Give it to me. I will check it with the rest of them. If you are lying to me, you are dead."

Mike took it out of the machine, put a red X on top of it, and placed it in the bag. William handed him an extra $500 and said, "Destroy your receipt of this transaction. It never happened. If Agent Abrams ever gets in trouble because of this, you will be hearing from me."

Mike grinned. "I understand. Thank you Mister Franklin; it's been a pleasure doing business with you."

One hour and 45 minutes later, they walked in the 'employee's only' entrance of the Empire State building.

Abrams showed his credentials, and asked the guards where the control center was for the antenna array. He was informed that it was in sub-basement four, and he would need an escort to get there.

The guard made a call, but it still took the escort 10 minutes to get to them.

When she did she asked what their business was,

William told her they would have to speak to her in private. They went into a small office, where William told her that his daughter, Patricia Zabo Valentino, had been declared a National Treasure by the President. Three attacks on her person had already been attempted. A fourth attempt was going to be made before tomorrow morning. He had to get in touch with a team of men and women, who could protect her, but they were out of position at this time. He told her what he could without giving the entire plan away, and Abrams backed up everything he said.

Her identification tag said her name was Margaret Wilder, and she worked for the NSA. They were monitoring cell phone towers in the tri-state area in an attempt to keep another 9/11 from happening. She was not a fan of Patricia's, because of what she did to the NSA in the Washington Post expose'. However, she would help them keep his daughter from being killed.

They took the elevator down into the bowels of the building. It was like a rabbit warren. Electronics were everywhere and people were stuffed into cubbyholes monitoring everything, and anything that was being transmitted.

Looking at the size of the computers they had, Abrams asked Wilder, "How the heck did they get this stuff down here?"

"It was installed before I got here, but I was told they came down in small sections and put it back together again."

"I bet the IBM technicians had a field day doing that."

"I was told it took them 18 months to get it together and get it working properly. The cost overruns were amazing, and the project manager told the company never to ask him to do it again. He would quit if they did."

"This is your cubbyhole. We don't have an office available, but everyone around you wears headsets, so the possibility of you being overheard is minimal. I will have one of our techs help set you up, but you will use your own frequency and datalink. Good luck."

The tech was there in minutes, and helped them unload the boxes. He asked, "Where did you get this stuff? It's better than what we have here?"

William whispered, "If you set this up so no one in this room can tie into us, it's yours when we leave."

"No shit!"

"Scouts honor."

"Margaret is going to be pissed, because this cubby is wired to her desk. I think I'll send her some elevator music." He crawled under the desk; disconnected, joined, twisted, circumvented, reconnected, and plugged them into inappropriate jacks. He took Williams instruments and routed them via different terminals to the antenna array on top of the building. Before he left the cubby, he took a piece of chewing gum, mashed it between his teeth, until it was soft, and placed it over and innocuous looking hole on the lip of the desk. He smiled and pointed, "Listening device."

William reached into his pocket to give the tech some money but the man said, "No. These instruments are more than enough."

William said, "Jack, I'm going to put my jacket over the ledge here. Don't come back until you see it's missing."

"Legal William, please keep it legal."

"I swear to you Jack everything I'm going to do is legal. I am going to save my daughter's life, and I am doing it legally."

William put his head set on, and transmitted, "Hotel 2 this is Hotel acknowledge." There was no reply.

"Hotel 2 this is Hotel acknowledge." He tried doing this for 15 minutes and became frustrated. He threw down his headset picked up his jacket and was immediately met by Jack.

"How did it go William?"

"Their radios are still off; either that or it's too late. Do I call Patricia, and if she doesn't answer, assume she is dead? If she answers, do I tell her what's going on, and scare her to death? Or do I just say hello, have a general conversation, and let her die in ignorance?"

"Tell me what's going on William."

"I don't want to get you involved Jack."

"You said it was legal. If it's legal, let me get involved."

"If I don't get my people in the right position, by the right time, they will be dead as well as my family. The people, who were responsible for the carnage in Italy, are after my baby. They will come after Jemma, Junior, and me next. I have not always lived a perfect life, but these people are animals. They have to be stopped, before it is too late for us. I don't know if they have killed my two daughters and their families, in Italy. I have not been able to reach them in the past few days."

"William, there must be something I can do to help. Whatever it is, don't let me stand here feeling useless."

"Will you help me with the radio, Jack?"

"Just tell me what to say, and I'll say it as long as I have breath in my body."

William wrote down what he needed to say, and if he received an acknowledgment, give the verification code, and he would take it from there.

At 7:15 PM, as darkness fell in New York, Jack had been transmitting every five minutes when it finally happened.

"Hotel 2 this is Hotel acknowledge."

"Hotel this is Hotel 2, verify."

"Hotel 2 this is Hotel: verification code 6 Lima echo uniform Charlie foxtrot four one seven, over."

"Hotel this is Hotel 2 verified, go ahead with message."

"Hotel 2, this is 'The Private.' The Eagle is out of position. He will be in contact with you between 2330, and 0200 hours. He informs you to protect, not eliminate the asset. She can verify your assignment with her father. A trap has been set for you, by the nine-member assault team from your last mission. There may also be a backup team for them. Set your antennas to the south to receive the Eagles orders. Message ends."

"Hotel, this is Hotel 2 message received, will comply, over."

The radioman said, "This was supposed to be an easy gig. I didn't understand why they wanted all of us to take out one woman. Now I understand. We stepped in a pile of shit, people."

"Sabre, what are you bitching about now?"

"We just got a message from the Colonel. He's not here with us because the people that hired us sent him someplace else. They sent us here to kill the asset, and to kill us as we egress."

Yvette said, "If the Colonel is out of position, how does he know this?"

"Have you ever known the Colonel to be wrong? He is going to contact us later tonight and give us our marching orders. We are to protect the asset and not kill her. Yvette, Flo get back into your civvies, you're going to have a flat tire in front of the Valentino's house. Once you're in there, you can explain the situation to them. Tell them a friend has sent you to protect her. She can call her father to verify."

Flo said, "I hate babysitting."

"If the guys that set this up were smart enough to get the Colonel out of position, the people we are up against aren't going to be easy. Some of them may slip by us, and you can play with your knives."

"Oh goody; does anyone want filet of tongue for dinner?"

Dan said, "As long as I get a piece of your ass before I have to eat it, I'll have some."

"All you homo's are alike. You never want pussy, you always want ass."

The other eight members of the team roared with laughter as they prepared to leave their hotel in Saratoga Springs. They had been here for a week, and scouted the area around Patricia's home extensively. As they were driving, everyone was thinking the same thing: why hadn't they picked up any sign of another group of people tracking them.

Arnie, the teams' leader, said, "Stop for gasoline, we have to talk."

They stopped at the next service plaza and discussed the situation. Arnie asked everyone if they were so focused on the asset that they did not look to see if there were any signs of anyone else in the area.

Each one, individually, acknowledged they were a little lax in their field craft, because this looked like such an easy job. Arnie acknowledged the same failure in his own work.

He said, "People, I have just changed our plans. We are going to drive slowly, with our lights off, straight up the driveway and into the barn. Sabre and Branch, you stay in the barn watch for intruders from the loft. Call it in, and when they are in range, shoot them down. Slate and Lee you are in the new house, with the same orders. Dan and I will be on top of the motorhome. Terry you will cover the right flank of the house, Wilt you have the left side. Flo and Yvette are inside covering the street. When they come at us, they have the same problems we would have had; all that open ground between the fences and the home. They probably knew where we were staying, and when they see we are gone, they will know tonight is when we will execute our plan. They will never expect us to be in defensive positions. Let's give them a surprise that will make the Colonel proud."

As they turned onto the driveway, Sabre and Branch jumped out of the lead SUV and ran towards the barn to open the doors. Moments later the three vehicles were inside, and everyone moved with military precision to their assigned area.

Flo and Yvette walked up to the front door and knocked. Most of the interior lights were off, but they knew Stephano and Patricia were at home. When they heard footsteps coming towards the door, Flo said, "I hope someone is at home, my feet are killing me, and I don't know how far down the road the next house is?"

Stephano turned on the exterior light, and opened the security window. He saw the two young women standing there. "Hi, can I help you?"

"Hello, my name is Florence Henderson. My rental car blew a tire, and I have to call the rental company for them to come and help me. May I use your phone please?" She had the rental agreement in her hand and showed it to Stephano to prove she was not lying to him.

It was a chilly night, and Stephano noticed that neither woman had a jacket on. He said, "Sure, why don't you come in and get warm. You can wait here until the tow truck comes."

"Thank you, that's very kind of you."

Stephano led them into the kitchen and showed them where the telephone was.

Patricia walked in to the room, with a towel wrapped around her head, fresh out of the shower. "What's going on, Steph?"

He was about to tell her about the flat tire, when Flo put a gun on the table.

Patty said, "Oh God, not again."

Flo said, "Patricia call your father. He will tell you why we are here."

William saw his daughter's name on the caller ID, and he answered by saying, "Patty, please tell me my friends are there."

"Why didn't you call me and tell me they were coming?"

"I didn't want you to panic and try to leave the house. If you did, the people who were coming for you would have killed you before you entered your car. Who is with you now?"

"We have not gotten to the introduction phase dad."

"Let me speak to one of them."

"This is Flo."

"This is William Zabo. A friend of mine told me to introduce him as 'The Private.' How many people do you have tonight?"

"Ten sir."

"The Private said when the Eagle calls tell him he doesn't trust these people. If they were smart enough to pull him out of position, he would wager there are going to be more than nine. Tell my daughter to send the helicopter for me."

"Yes sir, I will inform Arnie and 'The Eagle' when we speak with him."

"Thank you Flo, protect my baby at all costs. You and your team will be handsomely rewarded."

"Patricia, your dad wants the helicopter."

"Okay, I will call Paul and Rita, and get them in the air."

"Yvette, we are going to double dip on this job. We've already been paid by one side, and now her dad is going to pay us also. Isn't life grand?"

Yvette agreed. "Yes, all we have to do is live through tonight to enjoy it."

At 10:35 PM local time, Colonel Canyon contacted his troops and asked about their disposition. Arnie explained there deployment, and what William Zabo said about a possible second assault team.

After thinking about it for moment, the Colonel replied, "Arnie let the first group get close, very close. Reel them in to knife fighting distance, and take them down silently. After it is done, fire a few dozen shots, and light a fire close to the front of the house. Make the second assault group believe the attack is over, and they had begun to burn the evidence. They should walk towards the house expecting no resistance. Take them out when they are within 50 meters of the house. When your job is completed, do not leave the asset, until the authorities arrive. Your credentials will arrive before they do. I will not be back to home base for 4 to 5 days. Prepare for another mission upon my arrival. Everyone, I repeat everyone, will be invited to that party."

Arnie advised every one of the Colonels orders. Dan and he got off the top of the bus, and were getting ready to take up positions under the front and rear of it, when the front door of the bus opened. Brad stuck his head out to see if the horses had gotten loose, and instead had a knife at his throat.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"I'mmm BBBrrraaaddd, the architect; please don't kill me. I have to finish her house first or Patricia will crucify me."

"Is there anyone else inside?"

"Yes, my fiancée, Bonnie is inside."

"Go back inside the bus and get dressed. I'll tell you what to do in a few moments."

Brad turned, climbed the three stairs into the bus, and mumbled, "I hate you Patty; I hate you more than I hate that fucking horse."

Bonnie heard him, and laughed, until he told her what was going on outside. Her mood became somber until Brad told her not to worry. He would be behind her all the way; very far behind her. She tried not to laugh, but she could not hold it in. She threw a pillow at him, and started to dress.

Brad called Patty, and asked in his most polite tone, "What have you gotten me into this time, Princess? I have just had a knife put to my throat and been ordered to dress. My white shorts are now brown, and I have been beaten up by my fiancée. You know I hate you, but this is beyond the pale. Are we going to die tonight? If we are, I would like to make out my Will. The first item on it will be to have my mother kill that damn horse. What the hell is going on?"

"Welcome to my life, Brad. This will be murder attempt number four on my life, and you are invited. Don't you feel honored?"

"No, I do not feel honored. What do you want Bonnie and me to do?"

"The professionals will tell you what to do. Follow their instructions, Brad. I don't care if you get killed, but I would like Bonnie to survive the night."

"Who would finish your house if I die?"

"Your mother, of course, she is a wonderful architect."

"I hate all women."

Bonnie was standing behind him, and said, "Oh really," as she hit him with a right hand to his ribs.

"I didn't mean you sweetheart."

"I guess I'm not a woman, is that what you mean?"

"You are the perfect woman for me."

"That was a very good answer, Bradley. It almost got you out of trouble."

Dan opened the front door of the bus. "Go through the barn and into Patricia's house through the back sliding glass door. Walk slowly; holding hands like nothing is wrong. The door will be unlocked. There will be a woman on the other side of the door with a gun. Do not panic when you see her or it. She is there to make sure no one else comes in with you."

"Do you see sweetheart, this is why I love working for Patricia. There is never a dull moment. Either that horse is shitting on my car, or chasing me around the property. Now we have gunmen telling us what to do, so murderers don't kill us. She is a wonderful employer; she even gives us death benefits."