American traitor, p.18
American Traitor, page 18
part #15 of Pike Logan Series
I hung up and Knuckles said, “Well?”
“She’s got a location. Some place called Manly, which is just a little bit funny.”
“Where is it? Near here?”
“Don’t know. She’s working with Creed at the Taskforce, necking down all the pertinent information. She’ll have a target package by the time we get back.”
Dunkin said, “So you guys are going to hit it, right? Rescue her?”
I didn’t answer, angry over what I’d been told on the phone call earlier. Truthfully, I wanted to smack him, but that could wait until we got out of the area.
We’d left the beer house right after the call, me turning off Dunkin’s phone and each of us exiting one by one every two minutes out of the back of the restaurant, spilling into an alley that led to the food court we’d initially staged within the night before. An open courtyard with tables surrounded by various restaurants, it had a walled archway that led back to Argyle Street. Once we were together, we’d crossed over to the Nurses Walk and begun our route home using nothing but back alleys and cut-throughs that allowed us to check our backtrail for anyone behind us.
It wasn’t the best countersurveillance plan. If they had a full-on team against us, it would more than likely fail, as they could just use stationary elements and radios to keep us pinpointed, but I was pretty sure that I’d put a little dent in their ability to mount a full-scale surveillance effort when I’d rescued Dunkin.
Still walking, my rage growing, I turned to Dunkin and said, “I’m not doing a damn thing for Nicole until I know what the hell is going on here.”
He looked like I’d slapped him. “What do you mean? I told you what I thought was going on. I don’t know anything else.”
Knuckles said, “Who the hell is Nicole?”
I held up a finger, cutting Knuckles off, saying to Dunkin, “The man on the phone said he wants a thumb drive of data that you stole. That’s what he’s after. He’s not after your ass, which explains why those guys were outside of your apartment and attacked me. They didn’t want you. They thought I could get them the data.”
Dunkin’s face went slack, processing what I said. He was either a world-class actor, or he really didn’t know what I was talking about. He said, “Thumb drive? I have no idea what that means. What does that mean?”
I stopped right outside the exit gate and put my finger in his chest. “It means they know more than I do. That’s what it means. If you want to save Nicole, you need to come clean. I don’t give a shit if you’re doing something illegal. I want to know.”
Dunkin said, “Pike, I’m telling the truth! I’ve never done anything illegal . . . well, except when I was working for you. I just had a computer engineering job with Gollum Solutions and I saw Jake doing some flaky stuff. That’s it. Maybe . . . maybe he’s on the run and they think I took whatever he has. Maybe that’s it. Maybe they’re just confused.”
I started walking again, beginning to believe he was telling the truth. I said, “Well, that’s not going to help us too much. But maybe it won’t even matter.”
We crossed down to the wharf heading to the hotel and Knuckles asked again, “Who the hell is Nicole?”
I told him what had happened, from the moment we’d set foot into Australia to the actions last night, only pausing when we went through the hotel lobby to prevent the freak show manning the desk and bell stand from hearing. Once we were up on the balcony headed to my room, I finished with, “Jake Shu is the hundred-meter target, but all we know is that he was supposed to go vacation in Cairns. He could be anywhere. Nicole is the five-meter target, and we’re going to get her ass out of the fire. While doing that, we’re going to exploit her target site to see what we can find.”
I unlocked my hotel door, finding Jennifer staring at a laptop, Veep standing behind her.
Knuckles took in what I’d told him about a potential operation. He said, “You got any sanction for an Omega action on Australian soil?”
“No. I’ve got Alpha only. But I’m going to use the imminent threat clause for that. We go explore the house under Alpha, find Nicole in duress, and then save the day.”
All Taskforce operations had to be approved by the Oversight Council, and they ranged from Alpha—introduction of forces to explore a potential problem, which is where we were now—to Omega, authorization to take down a known danger using kinetic means. Built into that was the ability to flex based on the circumstances of an imminent threat. If I had Alpha, and in my “exploration” I discovered a life in danger, I could operate on my own authority. Left unsaid was that I knew there was a life in danger before I even started Alpha.
Brett rolled his eyes and said, “Won’t be the first time we’ve done this shit.”
Jennifer saw us enter and I said, “Hey, Veep. Hope you got some rest while all of us were working.”
He smiled, no longer the new guy and used to the ribbing. He said, “I’m available for the recce.”
I said, “Where are we talking about?”
Jennifer said, “It’s Manly, a place at the North Head right across the harbor. I’ve got the house necked down, but the satellite imagery isn’t that good. It’s in the woods on a cliff near the shore, right in front of some national park. It doesn’t look like a place that’s going to be easy to hit. They picked it for a reason.”
I bent down to her computer screen and saw a cove of water, then a steep climb of foliage with houses jutting out from the green. I said, “Which one is the target?”
She pointed to an icon on the screen, but all I could see were roofs covered by the trees. She said, “That’s it. Satellite is no help.”
“Where is it?”
She scrolled the map back, bringing the bay into view. “It’s known as the North Head. At the end of the harbor.” She tapped the screen and said, “That’s the southern one. It’s what made this harbor perfect for the settlers back in the day. The heads protect everything.”
The screen showed Sydney Harbour enclosed by two juts of land, one north, one south, like the claws of a crab, the one to the north holding the target icon.
I said, “How do we get there?”
She said, “There are a number of ferries that go all over the harbor, which for the recce is probably the best bet. You could drive, but that’s a long, roundabout trip.”
I nodded and said, “Okay, Veep and I are going to check it out. Jennifer, keep working the target with Creed. Anything you can find, neighborhood architecture, WiFi service, whatever. Knuckles, you and Brett get some rack time. I’m not sure when this is going live and I need everyone on their toes.”
Knuckles said, “You planning on hitting this with that little bit of intelligence?”
“No. I don’t even know if Nicole’s there. We’ll take a look and see what we can find. We’ll decide later. Go get a couple hours of sleep. I’ll plan the recce.”
He nodded, leaned over, and gave Jennifer a kiss on the cheek saying, “Hey, Koko, good to see you. I don’t even get a hug?”
She smiled and stood up, giving him a quick embrace. “Glad you showed up. I can’t keep him in the box by myself.”
She hugged Brett as well, saying, “Glad to see both of you. We need the help.”
Brett laughed and said, “You got that right. Anytime he’s on the loose, you need help.”
I scowled, they left, and Dunkin said, “I should go with you.”
“That ain’t going to happen.”
“No, Pike, I mean it. You mentioned WiFi. I can penetrate that. You’re just talking about a walkaround, right? I can do a pen-test outside the house. I might be able to find out something you can’t.”
Pen-test stood for penetration testing, meaning he might be able to penetrate the WiFi of the house and gain access to cameras, door alarms, or whatever else. Which was something we might need.
I said, “You got a kit for that?”
He shuffled foot to foot, then said, “Yeah, but it’s in Nicole’s sister’s place. Across the quay.”
Shit.
“Okay, Veep, you’re up. Dunkin, take him to the townhouse and pinpoint, but don’t go in. Tell Veep what he’s looking for and where it is. That place is going to be a crime scene from the dead body you left, so no pushing the envelope. Veep, if you can get in, then get in, either from the roof or the ground floor. If you can’t—if there is any police presence besides some crime scene tape—then back off. If that’s the case, Dunkin stays here with Jennifer and you and I conduct the recce. Whatever you do, don’t get compromised.”
Veep nodded and said, “Easy day. We’ll be back here in an hour, one way or the other.”
They started walking toward the door and I tugged Veep’s shirt. He turned back and I said, “No hero shit here. I’m trusting you not to push it.”
He said, “You’re telling me not to push it?”
He saw my eyes and said, “I got it, Pike. I got it. That was a joke. No high adventure. Trust me for once.”
I nodded and said, “I do trust you. That’s why I’m sending you. I’ll give you the high adventure if you can get back without compromise.”
He smiled at my affirmation and said, “I have no doubt.”
They left and I turned to Jennifer, saying, “You got anything else at all on the target? We’re really working on nothing here.”
“That passport we took off of the guy in the park came up in a Taskforce database search. He works for a Chinese import/export company. A nobody, as far as that goes, but the company is tied to the People’s Liberation Army. I’ve been talking to the Taskforce about it, and on the surface that wouldn’t seem to be much, because the PLA is inside every damn company from China, but these guys are deeper than most. The Taskforce says they don’t do a lot of import/export work, which means they’re probably a cover instead of a company.”
I nodded and she said, “If it’s solely a cover, it’s pretty good. They have a webpage, Twitter account, all of it. I printed out their org chart from the ‘about us’ page. There aren’t any pictures, but there are names.”
I saw the president at the top, Chen Ju-Long, and the name registered with me, but I couldn’t figure out why. I said, “You recognize that name?”
“No, should I?”
“No. I guess not. But I’ve heard it before.”
It tickled my brain, like a piece of meat between my teeth, my tongue worrying it over and over trying to break it free.
Chapter 41
Chen Ju-Long exited the ferry at Darling Harbour next to the Sydney Aquarium and began walking inland, checking his watch. He didn’t have far to go, but he most certainly didn’t want to be late. He was sure he was about to be excoriated for Bobcat’s idiocy, and yet he was just the cleanup crew. He didn’t run Bobcat. He just policed the mess.
And the mess was big indeed.
He walked swiftly through Sydney’s business district, ignoring the professionals out and about, cutting into the mall inside the Queen Victoria Building. He’d planned enough time to identify surveillance targeted against him, and used the building to do so.
He went to the second floor, bought a coffee at a local stand, and took a seat, watching the escalators that led to his level.
He didn’t see anything that spiked. He waited a few more minutes, then went back down the escalator, exiting the building on the southern side, not where he’d entered.
He continued up George Street, not paying any particular attention to his backtrail, and reached Hay Street. He walked straight north, crossing Hay Street and going under the ornate paifang arch of Sydney’s Chinatown. He went a block and stopped outside of a karaoke bar called Destiny. He checked his watch, saw he was within the window, and entered.
The venue was closed at this time, but that didn’t matter to him. He ignored the velvet rope blocking access to a stairwell and went up, exiting into a garish bar area, full of neon, mirrors, and chrome, with a large stage to the left, microphones empty and televisions off, the lighting muted and dark. An Asian woman was behind the bar, cleaning glasses. She saw him and left, going into the kitchen in the back.
He went right, down a hallway to the private rooms, and saw a fit man in a business suit standing outside a door. The man nodded at him, opened the door, and said something. Chen waited, and then was waved forward.
He entered, finding the small room ringed with a couch that wound its way around the walls to a television screen and a microphone stand. Interspersed at intervals were cocktail tables. Behind one table in the rear was his control, a wizened older man with a drooping white mustache. The man pointed to the cushion on his right, saying, “Have a seat.”
Chen did so, waiting. Control said, “So I understand there have been complications.”
“Yes, sir. More than I expected.”
“Your earlier report mentioned a possible compromise, but you had it under control. Now you say that it is not under control?”
“Not yet. I still believe my original estimate that he’s just a computer engineer, but we’ve had a confluence of events. The same day we attempted to eliminate him, a friend of his showed up here for vacation. That man is more dangerous, but still within the scope of our capabilities. I intend to have this settled by tomorrow on favorable terms to us.”
The old man nodded, then said, “You will kill them both?”
“That is my hope, but the primary problem is Clifford, not the other one. If we eliminate him, the other man will know something has happened, but he really can’t affect our operation. Even if he went to the police—which he seems disinclined to do right now—he will not have any concrete evidence to break our operations.”
“He has concrete evidence to break open your company. Didn’t you say the man in the park lost his passport? Which is directly tied to your cover company?”
“Yes, but that company was made for this mission. If we have to burn it, we do so. We’ll all be off this continent by then, and the friend won’t be able to break open the actual operation.”
“Can your men accomplish the mission here without you?”
Taken by surprise, Chen said, “Possibly. Why?”
“I met this Jake Shu—Bobcat—in Brisbane. He might be a genius with computers, but he’s an idiot when it comes to tradecraft. A walking barrel of mistakes. I would like you to take over the northern portion of the operation to ensure there are no mistakes. Deal with any unforeseen problems that might occur, like you did here.”
Chen was genuinely surprised. He had assumed he was to be chastised for the way things had escalated here, not praised.
“Yes, sir, I can do that. Can I bring Zhi with me?”
“Is it necessary?”
“I might need a female touch. It gives me options. Options that aren’t needed here anymore.”
Left unsaid was Chen’s worry that if she remained behind, she might do something catastrophic during tomorrow’s operations, like she had the night before—or, worst case, she might convince the team here to let the girl, Nicole, go.
“So be it.”
They sat in silence for a moment, then Chen said, “When would you like me to leave?”
“Immediately.”
“As in flying?”
“No. Trains only. I don’t want your name tainted on a manifest to Cairns if you fail to kill both men.”
Chen stood, saying, “Then I’d better leave. I need to ensure the plan is in place before I go.”
His control nodded and said, “Don’t let me down.”
“I won’t, sir. They have managed to screw up a simple transfer through luck, not skill. They are about to see the difference.”
Chapter 42
We boarded the ferry with our tickets, nobody saying a word in the line to the gangway, not wanting the people in front and behind to hear anything. Once inside, we went to the small upper deck at the front of the boat, standing near the rails, away from the larger seating inside, and Dunkin began whining again about the timeline.
“Pike, you should have brought your weapons. If we get there and see it’s only guarded by one guy, we could hit it today. With any luck, it’ll be easy.”
Knuckles said, “We don’t deal in luck. We deal in skill. Please, before I punch you in the mouth or throw you off of this boat, shut the hell up. I’m sick of hearing it.”
He cowered and sat down. Brett sat next to him and said, “Actually, I deal in lead, friend.”
When Dunkin just looked at him stupidly, Brett turned to us and said, “Do none of you recognize a good movie quote when you hear it?”
I chuckled and said, “Dunkin, trust us. Nicole is coming home. Don’t push anything. Just like in the Taskforce, your skill is here to enhance ours. And we do deal in lead.”
He nodded and we rode the rest of the way in silence, Dunkin occasionally glancing at Veep for support, as they’d bonded a little bit on their separate mission.
Veep had surprised me, because I was sure that townhouse was radioactive, but it turned out the police had vacated, leaving nothing but tape behind, and Veep had managed to penetrate the house through the roof access using a key provided by Dunkin. He hadn’t even had to pick the lock. He was in and out in thirty seconds, finding the small pen-test kit that apparently all computer geeks carried around.
Not thinking they’d be successful when I said Dunkin could come on the recce, I’d almost changed my mind, but decided to bring him along because he might prove useful. Now, with his constant whining, I wasn’t so sure. This was reconnaissance only, no matter how dire he thought the situation.
The boat made two stops down the harbor and finally docked at Manly, on the North Head. We exited the ferry terminal, went up top, and saw a quaint little downtown square lined with shops, ice cream parlors, and bars. Veep said, “Wow. This looks like Key West.”
Knuckles said, “Or downtown Coronado, if you went to a real dive school.”
Dunkin said, “Can you guys quit kidding around? This is serious.”
