Chasing Shadows (14 page)

"I've heard of them.  We watched one of their webcasts for a school project on current events," Jay said.  "It was pretty cool—the way their leader's got a secret identity, no one knows who he really is or anything.  They just call him Deacon."

Great, now they were inviting lunatics like Deacon into the schools.  Chase wondered how many students went home with a sense of admiration for Deacon, how many were swayed by his rhetoric, felt that he was the path to their gaining what was rightfully theirs.  A depressed town like Coalton was ripe pickins for The Crusade.

"What did you think of what he said?"  If Deacon could influence a level-headed kid like Jay, then they didn't have a prayer.

"A lot of what he said made sense.  Everyone already knows how screwed up the country is.  Kids like me, we're gonna be the ones paying the price."  

The look he gave Chase lumped Chase in with all of the other "old folks".  

"But I didn't like how he was so vague about how he was going to change things.  He just said to watch for the signs, and revolution was coming—to be ready to embrace it when it happened.  Sounded kind of scary to me."

"You have every right to be scared.  Something bad is coming. Bruno has me setting up deals between him and The Crusade.  He has a huge shipment of guns and explosives that they're buying."

"But you're going to stop him, aren't you, Chase?  You won't let The Crusade get a hold of that stuff!"

Chase hid his smile at Jay's tone of pride and certainty.  The kid still thought he was John Wayne.  The thought left him feeling invincible, a man of steel.

"Of course not.  I'll let them think they have it, just long enough for us to track them down and stop whatever they have planned.  But I have to let everyone think that I'm one of the bad guys."

Jay nodded his understanding.  "Just like KC."

"Remember, you can't tell her any of this."  

Chase was relieved to hear KC and Jay weren't really involved, but hotshot FBI agent or not, he still wasn't trusting her with Jay's life.  He held out his hand for the phone once more.  "You're going to tell her you're leaving, call off your deal.  I'm going to get you out of here before anything more can happen."

"What do you mean more?"

"One of my men has gone missing, I think The Crusade has him."

"Chase, what if they know about you?  Maybe you should come with me.  KC can take care of everything, I know she can.  You can trust her."

Hadn't the kid heard anything he said?  You don't trust your team's lives with strangers, even if they were strangers with seemingly good intentions.  He thought about Lucky and the undercover FBI agent whose cover was blown last summer and shook his head.  

"No, I can't.  It's too dangerous.  Either you call her or I do."

Jay stood, feet planted, chin jutted in the air.  "No.  I promised KC I would help her.  I won't tell her anything about you, but I'm not backing out."

"I don't have time to argue.  Get your things, make the call and let's go."

He tried to stare Jay into submission, but the kid was now at eye level and wasn't going for it.  Damn it, why'd he have to be so stubborn?

"What'cha gonna do, Chase?" Jay said, rocking on the balls of his feet in an unconscious imitation of his big brother.  "Knock me out, carry me on the back of your bike?  What would Mr. Gianotti or your friends in The Crusade think about that?"  

Chase was silent.  The kid had a point—he just wished he hadn't picked this moment to make it.  "When are you due to leave?"

"This afternoon.  I'll take KC's car, meet the Marshals in Altoona."

Chase rolled his eyes.  The kid was such an amateur.  

"Never tell anyone your plans.  Not even me," he told Jay.  "Always have a plausible lie ready."

"How do you know I'm not lying now?" Jay countered with a raised eyebrow.  Chase had to smile.  Maybe the kid would make it after all.

"All right," he conceded, hating the idea of allowing anyone else to take charge of his brother's safety.  "But don't wait until this afternoon.  Stick beside KC until she takes you out of here."  

Added bonus was it would also make his job easier, ensure that KC wasn't around to screw up the weapon exchange between Bruno and Deacon.

Jay thought about it and nodded.  "Thanks, Chase," he said, extending his hand.

Chase grabbed it, then pulled his brother into a quick embrace.  He might never see him again.  The thought finally hit home with the power of a mortar round.  At least Jay would be out of this town, pursuing his dreams, making something of himself.

"You're going to make a great doctor someday," he said.  He grabbed his jacket and turned to leave.  "Watch your back, kid."

CHAPTER 18

As Chase crossed the carport and approached his Harley, he heard the crunch of snow behind him.  He whirled, one hand reaching for the HK.  Deacon and his men come for him and Jay? he wondered as he cleared the gun from his holster.

"Jeez, Westin," came the familiar drawl of Addison, one of Bruno's men.  "We knew you were a rat bastard who'd sell out his own men.  We just never knew you were a pervert.  Is that how you get your kicks?  Climbing into little girl's bedrooms and showing them your gun?"

Chase looked around the dark carport.  Addison leaned against the Malibu, a .357 Magnum trained on Chase.  Out of the shadows on either side of Chase emerged two more men, both roughly the size of guerillas.  He could take them if need be.  He waited, his weapon ready.

"I'll bet that semi is the only thing he could get up," one of the guerrillas said with a laugh.  Chase watched him clench and unclench his fists, preparing for a good old-fashioned beat down.

Chase could handle that, but he'd rather talk his way out of it.

"She's no girl," he retorted.  "And she didn't get anything she wasn't asking for."

"Not what we heard.  You know, Westin, you are one ungrateful sonofabitch.  Mr. Gianotti's been keeping an eye on your kid brother ever since your folks died and you ran back to the army.  Kid's practically family to Mr. Gianotti.  Now you repay him by messing with the kid's girl?"  

Addison shook his head in disapproval and clucked his tongue.  He raised his gun at Chase.  "You know how strongly Mr. G feels about family.  Nobody messes with his family, nobody."

Dammit, now he had to deal with psycho mobsters who thought they were defending the "family" honor?  Why couldn't Bruno have just left Chase's family out of it?

"It's between me and Jay," he said.  "If Mr. Gianotti wants to talk to Jay about his tramp of a girlfriend, let him.  You guys don't have anything to do about it."

"Sorry, Westin.  That's not what Mr. G told us.  He's who gives the orders around here.  Now drop the gun and take your punishment like a good boy."

"How about I just get on my bike and leave, nobody gets hurt."

"You do, and the deal's off.  Don't think Deacon would take kindly to that.  Might be a good way to get yourself and your brother killed."

Hell, he couldn't risk anything blowing the deal or putting Jay in The Crusade's crosshairs.  Oh well, three to one, he'd faced worse odds.  Chase gave Addison an elaborate shrug and lowered his gun to the hood of the Malibu.  Which put him in the perfect position to brace himself for a side kick to guerrilla Number One's groin.  

As soon as Number One hit the ground, Number Two rushed in, trying to grab Chase in a bear hug, wrestle him to the ground.  

What did he think this was, the WWF?  Chase slipped free, twisted under the bigger man's guard and came up behind him.  He aimed a kick, buckling the would-be wrestler's knees and brought his elbows down on the back of the guy's head, sending him sprawling under the Malibu.

Chase straightened to face Number One and Addison who'd moved in to join the fray.  A quick feint with a jab followed by a right hook to the jaw took care of Addison who went down on his ass.  

Number One circled warily, keeping out of Chase's reach, looking for an opening.  Addison made a sound, and Chase slammed a kick into his abdomen just as Number One rushed forward like a locomotive, plowing into Chase and crashing him into the Malibu.  

Before Chase could catch his breath, Number One punched him in the solar plexus.  Chase would have shaken that off, except that while he was tangling with Number One, Number Two crawled free of the Malibu and yanked both his legs out from under him.  Chase went down with a thud, smacking his head against the concrete floor.

His vision went hazy.  He was hauled to his feet, his hands pulled tight behind him.

"C'mon, Westin," Addison said, rubbing his jaw.  "Mr. Gianotti wants to talk to you in person.  Give you a lesson in family values."

The trill of her cell phone jolted KC from her dream.  She almost rolled off the sofa where she'd finally crashed.  Damn, it was a good dream, too.  

Her thoughts were muddled as she reached for the instrument of the devil.  Chase Westin and her on a tropical island, far away from Coalton, this dreary winter and any semblance of reality.

"Yeah," she mumbled into the speaker, the memory of Chase's naked body glistening beneath her still filling her vision.  

"KC, I need your help."  

Jay Westin's words energized her into full alert mode.  She sat up, already reaching for her boots.  "What's wrong?"

"Gianotti's men, they took Chase.  Neil told his father about his climbing into your room."

Served the idiot right for pulling a stunt like that.  A little poetic justice for thinking he could bully a supposedly eighteen year old girl.  

"Jay, your brother is a grown man, he can take care of himself."  Last thing she needed was to risk her cover or Jay's safety for his loser brother.

"KC, please help him.  Mr. Gianotti's men said something about Chase was messing with his family and would have to pay—"

The kid's fear shot through the phone line and she understood.  Those were the same words Gianotti used before shooting Moscone, the man Jay saw die in Gianotti's garage.  

"I'm on my way, don't worry," she said and hung up.

Off to rescue Prince Not-so-charming
, she thought as she shrugged into her jacket.  She ran downstairs to where Glenn and Carson were taking shifts monitoring the audio and video feeds.  "You guys got anything from Gianotti's garage?"

"I was just coming to get you," Carson said.  Glenn was asleep on the battered sofa in the corner.  "Three of his guys got there a few minutes ago, sounded like they were getting ready to beat the crap out of some poor slob, but Gianotti told them to wait, he wants his kid to watch."  He shook his head.  "Guess it's his twisted idea of family entertainment."

"Yeah, he's trying to toughen Neil up, wants him to follow in his father's illustrious footsteps," KC said.  "The guy they got is Chase Westin.  I'm going to head over and put a stop to it—make them think me and Chase have something going."

"How you gonna do that?"

She flashed him a "bad girl" KC grin and jangled the chains on her jacket.  "Don't worry, I've got it covered.  Keep an ear out in case things go the wrong way.  I'll head to Westin's afterward.  Call Jared Wright over at Wit-Sec, let him know we're gonna have to move Jay's pickup ahead of schedule."

"Sure thing, KC."

Damn Chase Westin.  She stomped through the snow to Gianotti's estate next door.  Because of him everything was getting way too complicated.  She couldn't keep risking Jay.  She was going to have to get him out of there tonight.  But how to keep Chase from suspecting anything?  

She muttered a curse under her breath.  Everything had been fine until that man showed up.  Served him right if he got the tar beat out of him.  

Instead of making her slow her pace, the thought of what Gianotti's men might be doing to Chase Westin forced her into a run.

CHAPTER 19

Problem with sumo wrestler wannabe's, Chase thought as his knees buckled after another punch to the solar plexis, was they lacked finesse.  Sure they had plenty of power—ugh, like in that kick to his kidney—but this was strictly amateur stuff if you really wanted someone to suffer.

Try being blown up by a RPG, thrown thirty feet, unable to hear anything over the thunder in your head, unable to move, to breathe without red hot pokers of pain spiraling through every nerve in your body, and worst of all, unable to do anything as your men are slaughtered around you.  That was real pain.

Guerillas One and Two hauled him to his feet as Bruno Gianotti ushered his son into the garage.

"Watch it, there," Bruno said.  "He's dripping blood onto the Lexus."

Addison whipped out a bandanna and wiped the offensive body fluids away.  He jerked his head to the two guerillas who half carried, half dragged Chase front and center.

"My son here tells me that you've been doing a little breaking and entering in your free time, Chase.  Is that true?"

Chase hung his head, gave the appearance of being beaten, and remained silent.  Best to see how seriously pissed Bruno was—or was this just a show to impress Neil?

"I am disappointed," Bruno went on.  "It's bad enough you betrayed your own brother.  But think how humiliating this is for me.  After I've I practically took your brother in while you were in prison."

Chase thought hard and fast.  Only option to save his mission and his life was to get down and dirty with some serious groveling.

Before he could start, Bruno reached an arm around Neil's shoulders, turned him to face Chase.  "What do you want to do to him, Neil?  You're a man now.   Jay is your friend.  It's your call."

Great, Chase thought, now his life was being decided by a nineteen-year-old boy who thought Chase was after his best friend's girl. 

"I just don't want him to hurt KC, that's all," Neil muttered, obviously flustered by the responsibility being shoved onto him.  "Can't you just make him go away, never come back?"

Bruno took a deep breath as if discouraged that his only son was so naive.  "There are a few things to consider, Neil.  First, there's business.  We could lose a very large amount of money if Chase went missing before the deal he's arranged between myself and The Crusade."