It Has to be Fate Pt. 06

"The FBI has had this group watched for several years. Sri Vikrama Rajasingha was the leader of the group in this country until Mica put him out of business. The one who calls himself 'Raja' is actually Sri Wickrema Rajasingha the first guy's brother. 'Raja' is the right hand man of the big boss in Ceylon. He was sent to clean up the mess. All the men they have here have been educated in the States. Most are integrated into various neighborhoods where there are large Indian populations.

"The FBI and other organizations are now trying to locate all the known members of this group to see if any of them are in position to carry out 'Raja's threat against your friends or relatives. It is known that the group has several rifles and pistols they practice with now and then."

Mica looked at both of them. "Do their observers have any means of communication with 'Raja'?"

"No, we haven't detected any communications except that they have a battery powered electric bike they ride to the house where Mrs. McDermott is being held after their watch. The new observer rides it back. It is totally quiet and does not attract any attention."

"Do they keep a regular schedule?"

"Yes, as regular as clock work. They do four hour shifts between four men. they work midnight to four AM, four AM to eight, eight to noon and so on. It takes about fifteen minutes to change the guard."

Mica shrugged, "Hell! We could get a hundred men in or out without them knowing it, right."

"Right,"

Mica looked at Dave, "What are your plans for rescuing my wife and child?"

"Mica we practice this all the time. We are very good at hostage rescue missions against highly trained professionals. All our indications are the these are not highly trained professionals. Instead they seem to be rank amateurs. That bothers me," Mica smiled and Dave continued. "I have a gut feeling that that is just what they want us to think. Things are never this easy. We do have a plan but I recommend against trying to rescue your family until we find out more."

Mica grinned, "Dave your instincts are damned good. After the incident with Sri Virama Rajasinha I had him checked out by the Brits.

"I discovered that they have had their people watching him for quite a while. The younger brother was just an amateur and only interested in having sex with as many young ladies as possible. Raja is a different story, He served a tour with the British Navy equivalent of our Seals. He has extensive training in this sort of thing. He became a little vocal about how the Brits had treated Ceylon years and years ago and was investigated. He had enlisted as a Burmese National.

"Closer investigation revealed his papers were fake and he was discharged from the Service."

"Really! How did he end up over here?" asked Dave.

"Well the next couple of years are sketchy because the Brits were no longer interested and we hadn't noticed him yet. His brother came to our notice first. He was running the blackmail fraud targeting married women with the aphrodisiac spray. The FBI was pretty close to nailing him when he tried it on us. Meanwhile the older brother was working with the 'Tigers of Tamil' trying to overthrow the existing government. The Tigers financed the younger guys scheme for raising money for the organization. They raise a lot of money legitimately, I guess they thought the blackmail was quicker."

Dave looked at Mica, "What do you think, are they very good and wanting us to think they are inept or are they really piss-poor at this shit?"

"I think we have to assume they are the best you have ever seen. I want like hell to rush in there and save my wife and baby. But it would put them and possibly others at great risk. I can't do that. I believe they think I will be afraid to do anything. However, L also think they know little of our capabilities. They are not publicized and no one ever hears anything about the Seals and Pathfinders. The Army Rangers get some publicity but since the end of the Korean War most people don't want to hear about military stuff."

Dave agreed and added that most people just hoped the Military would just fade away. He looked at his friend, "Mica I know this is killing you, but you are doing the right thing. From what I know, he must know that if he harms Melissa or the baby everyone will be up in arms after him. He won't stand much chance of getting away. He has to keep her alive and healthy.

"I suspect he will hit you with a huge ransom request in a day or so. I guess it is OK to tell you that one of the things the FBI is working on is a link to the hardcore pornography people. Good color film of a beautiful white woman having sex with a black man would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. If they can make a couple of films a day for four or five days they will be worth a bundle."

Mica looked at Dave with tear-filled eyes. "I hadn't thought of that, with the publicity she has gotten they would sell like hot cakes."

"Yeah! They sure would, Melissa is a really beautiful woman."

"Christ, I've got to get hold of those films, has anyone been out of the house?"

"No! Only the watchers who only go back and forth, and they never leave the route between here and there."

"We need to have the FBI ready to apprehend anyone of the people we are watching try to leave the area. They must be carefully searched before they are released."

Dave grinned, "I'm way ahead of you Mica, that order went out yesterday, the FBI is trying to wipe out some drug dealers in this area, at least that is the cover story."

The next day the phone rang and Mica answered it. "Hello, McDermott residence."

"Good afternoon Mr. McDermott, I hope you are well." Mica recognized the voice immediately as Raja.

"I am not too happy, when are you going to bring my wife and child home?"

"This is the third of the four days we spoke of earlier. I am pleased to see you have taken my warning seriously and have apparently made no effort to find us. I will bring them back safe and sound day after tomorrow in the morning. She wishes to talk with you. You have two minutes."

He heard the voice he loved, "Mica, I love you, Sirima is fine, we both miss you."

"Melissa don't forget me, I will be waiting here for you. I love you and I will always love you no matter what. Do what you have to do to keep you and our baby from harm."

"Good bye, Sweetie I love you too."

There was a click and the line went dead.

Mica buried his face in his hands and sobbed for several minutes. He looked up and saw the men in the room all watching him.

A man he knew slightly smiled and said, "We are ready when you are Captain."

Mica struggled to smile, "Sir it is good to see you again. My father said you like to be called 'Cat' and that you were a good friend."

"Your father is a fine man I am proud to claim as a friend. I have fifty operatives here now. The hideout surrounded by an invisible net of good men. Another thing you need to know is that Sri Wickerema Rajasingha has a wife and twin 14 year old daughters. They live in Philadelphia. We have them under close surveillance. The neighbors say they are a close loving family. The wife and children are described as beautiful, with tan skin and lustrous black hair. The girls are very well developed for their age and appear to dress and act more mature than one would expect."

"Hummmm! That might give us a little leverage if we get a chance to use it. You don't happen to have their names do you?"

"Yes Captain, I have that information right here on this paper. Sri Wickerema Rajasingha uses the name George Washington Mingo. His wife is Elizabeth Mingo. The girls are Alisha and Annie Mingo. He is believed to have another family in Madagascar. That is not yet verified."

"I need to think about this for a bit. Are they guarded at all?"

"Apparently not. We believe that he thinks we know nothing about them. It was a pure fluke that we found them. There were several strips of negatives in their garbage, thrown away in a envelope from a photo shop in Philadelphia. We tracked them down and identified them quite easily. It was then easy to find he was using the Mingo name on a phony Social Security card, driver's license, and other things. He makes payments on a house and a car in that name. Everyone in his neighborhood thinks he is a traveling salesman and an upstanding citizen and devout family man. We don't think the wife is aware of his real identity."

"Good, Sir, here is my idea, we take his family into our custody and I confront his and offer to make a trade. I offer him nothing but their well being in exchange for the instant return of my family. I don't know that Melissa and I will want to press charges and have her subjected to the embarrassment and the publicity a trial would generate."

"Son, I didn't get to know your beautiful wife very well at our last meeting but I would never agree to putting her through that. I'll give the order and as soon as we have them in custody and safely hidden we will make our move." The older man nodded to one of the other men who then left the room.

Mica looked at him for a moment, "Bring them here, let her meet Melissa and our baby, then if we recover any film, let her watch it too. Let her tell us what she thinks his fate should be. Give her several options as to his fate. Perhaps prison, deportation, castration, or something. Then let Mrs. Mingo and my wife suggest his fate."

"I don't know if that is wise, son, in my experience, often the victim starts to identify with the captors. Some even try to protect the abusers. The longer they are together the greater the chance of this happening."

"Sir, I said 'suggest his fate'. I think we would have to insure that his fate would be such that it would insure he could never do something like this to anyone ever again."

"I'll go along with that, but I think the women need to be aware of that in their deliberations."

Mica said. "That sounds good to me. When do you think we can act?"

"Mica, I hope it has already started in Philadelphia, we had a cover story ready to use. They will be told that they are being taken into protective custody to insure their safety. They will be told that 'Mr. Mingo' has inadvertently become involved in a kidnapping plot and that the kidnappers might want to hold his family in order to insure his cooperation."

Mica smiled a little, "Enough of the truth to make the transition to the actual truth believable when they find out his actual involvement." Mica and 'Cat' talked for another hour before one of the older man's people interrupted them. The man looked at 'Cat', "May I speak in front of Mr. McDermott?"

"Of course."

"Mrs. Mingo and her two daughters are on a military transport headed for the base here at Cherry Point. They should arrive at 6:45 this evening."

Mica jumped to his feet, "Let's go. They are safely in our custody now. We can go ahead with the rescue."

The other man grinned, "Every one is in place and ready to move."

Mica looked at Dave who had just entered the room. Dave gave him a grin and a thumbs up.

Mica drove his car slowly up the short drive to the house where Melissa was being held. He got out of the car and he could hear noises inside the house as he knocked on the door. The door opened and Mica did not recognize the man who looked at him. "Is Mr. Mingo here, please?"

The man looked at him and said, "Just a minute, I'll see."

A moment later Raja opened the door wide as shoved a pistol in Mica's face. Raja yelled, "Get in here! I thought you were smarter than this."

Mica smiled at Raja, "I thought we should have a little talk before anyone gets hurt. I have your wife Elizabeth and your daughters Alisha and Annie in my custody. They are no longer in your home in Philly. I propose we reach an agreement before this goes any further. You see, I have a buyers for all three ladies. The twins are really adorable and virgins too! They will bring top dollar. We have bids on them from Mexico, Saudi, and Japan.

There is considerable interest in your lovely wife too, unfortunately she will not fetch as good a price as the girls. She will do well in a brothel though. I think I should add that this house is now completely surrounded by a large number of FBI and Military people. Your friends are not aware of my activities concerning your family and cannot help you there."

Mica watched as Raja lowered the gun and walked to a chair and sat down. Raja looked up at Mica, "Please! They are just innocent little girls. Don't do this to them."

"You are fucking my wife using my baby as leverage and expect me to be moved by that. BULLSHIT!" Mica clinched his fists and shook as he struggled for control over his fury. After a few moments of silence he calmly said, "I think you need to bring my wife and baby out and let me see that they are all right before we go any farther! I need to call my associates in," He looked at his wristwatch. "five minutes or the auction will be over and your family will be gone for ever."

Raja turned and spoke to another dark man in a language Mica did not recognize. The man hurried off. He was back in a minute with Melissa and she carried the baby. She looked shocked to see Mica standing there. Mica softly said, "Melissa, are you and the baby all right?"

She said, "Yes! Yes Mica, we are both fine." Mica turned and opened the door, Dave stood there and he reached out to Melissa. She walked out the door with the baby and Dave shut the door behind him.

Mica looked at Raja, "I also want the camera and every bit of film in my possession before I will make that call. Understand?" Raj nodded and spoke to the other man again. The man looked at Mica and walked to the window and pulled the curtain back, he looked around outside. He turned back quickly and spoke rapidly to Raja. Raja ran to the window and looked out. His shoulders slumped, he spoke to the other man. The camera, on a tripod, with a bank of flood lights attached was brought in. A stack of round silver film cans were with it.

Raja pointed to the phone. Mica nodded and opened the front door. Several men with drawn weapons walked in. Mica picked up the phone and dialed a number. He listened for a bit then said, "It is over. Cancel the deals." He put the phone down. "They are safe for now. They will land here instead of in Cuba."

"Cuba?"

"Yes, Cuba, these things are more easily done in Cuba than here. A few Yankee dollars are more important there than Passports and papers."

"Tell your men to put down their weapons and file out the door. They will not be harmed."

Mica and Dave stood and watched as the prisoners were led to a bus with bared windows. When they were all aboard the bus a group of guards filed aboard and the bus pulled out. Mica walked to where Raja stood alone in chains and shackles. "You will be interrogated by a group of people soon. I have decided that we will let your wife and children, and my wife, see all the evidence we have against you including the films. The films are being processed as we speak. The wives and children will view them and give us their recommendations as to your fate. My punishment for you has yet to be extracted.

"I am considering a number of things including, Surgical removal of your eyelids, this makes sleeping very difficult. Your eyeballs tend to dry up too. The sunlight is very painful too." Mica smiled at Raja. "You may also receive the surgery your brother received too. I am thinking that the removal of your thumbs and big toes would slow down the amount of trouble you can cause too. I am afraid I must insure you are never able to have sex again, that is my revenge."

"You may do that to me but Melissa will never be satisfied by your little white cock again! She is going to have my black baby, my Queen of Ceylon."

"No, she will either have an abortion or give the child away at birth. You will never know either way. It is a moot point because she was already pregnant by me! She menstruated three weeks ago and I planted my seed a week ago."

Mica nodded to two huge Marines who took 'Raja'away in cuffs and shackles. Mica hurried out the door and looked for Dave. He saw Burt Sommers, Dave's second in command. Burt told him that for security reasons Dave had rushed Melissa and the baby to the hospital on the Marine Base. Burt had a car and driver and they took Mica to the hospital. Mica was told Melissa and the baby were in good condition. He wanted to see them but the nurse in charge said she was still being examined and had given specific instructions that she did not want any visitors until the next day. Mica looked at the nurse, "I will respect her wishes, may I see my daughter?"

"I don't see why not, I'll bring her out, you can sit in the rocker over there and hold her for a while."

Mica sat and Held Sirima in his arms, she seemed happy to see him. She laughed and kicked her little legs and waved her arms about. He kissed her cheek ad she cooed and reached for his nose. Tears ran down his cheeks. He looked up at the nurse, "Is my wife awake?"

She said that Melissa was awake. Mica said, "Will you give her a message for me when you take the baby back please?"

"Of course I will."

"Dose she have a phone by her bed?"

"Yes, she does."

"Tell her I love her. Tell her that I will wait here five minutes. Then I will go home. I will leave there for Florida in the morning. If I do not hear from her before then I will assume the things the guy who raped her told me are true. That she now belongs to him and that she no longer wants me. Thank you."

The nurse stared at him for a minute, then she grabbed Sirima and hurried away. Several moments later the phone beside him rang. He let it ring twice then picked it up. "Hello."

He heard her sob, "Mica, Mica, I love only you. Please believe me. I belong only to you. I just feel so dirty and I am so ashamed of what I did that I am afraid to see you. I can't seem to get myself clean no matter how much I wash."

"Sweetie, you did what you had to do, what I told you to do to protect yourself and our daughter. I will always love you no matter what you had to do. Please believe me, I need to see you and hold you, to help you get over this thing. A thing neither of us wanted. We did what was necessary to survive and protect our baby." He heard her sobbing.

"Mica, Dave and some other are here questioning me. You don't know how hard this is for me. Sob, it makes me feel so damned dirty." Mica put the phone down. He got up and walked through the door the nurse went through. He saw a uniformed Marine guard at the door to one room down the hall.

Mica walked up to him, "Are they questioning the woman in here?"

"Yes Sir, No one is allowed in there. I can't permit you to enter."

"I'm sorry I have to do this. You are only doing your duty." Mica's hand flashed out and the Marine dropped like a rock. Mica stooped and lifted the man to a sitting position against the wall. He checked the man's .45 Cal. pistol in his holster. It was not loaded as Mica expected. He took the loaded clip full of ammunition from the guards belt and emptied it into his own pocket, then replaced the clip.

He opened the door and entered. Melissa looked up and Dave and the other men turned and looked at him. One of them started to get up. Mica said, "Stay where you are! Which one of you is the Doctor?"

One of the older men said, "I'm in charge here, we are conducting an official government investigation. You will have to leave immediately."

"No Sir! I am this lady's husband. She will be questioned no further without her attorney AND her Doctor AND myself present. Dave will you back me or do I have to fight you too?"

"Mica I tried to get them to stop this, they won't listen to me. I am with you."

A large automatic pistol suddenly appeared in Mica's hand, "Gentlemen, please remain seated, do any of you have communications with the person in your organization in charge of this operation?"