Run the Numbers
Chapter Ten
Don had gone home to shower and get clean clothes on before he met Terry and David who both looked as tired as he felt. Don leaned on the passenger door and looked closely at Terry.
"You alright?"
Terry smiled and said, "Yea I'm fine. It was just a grazing wound and I got checked out at Mercy earlier."
She turned around and pointed to the homeland security agent in the back seat and said, "This is agent Armstrong from Homeland Security. Agent Armstrong this is Agent Eppes."
The man in the back seat said, "Pleasure to meet you sir. I have actually met your brother. I was one of the agents involved on a case that Dr. Eppes consulted on. Director Reynolds has instructed me to cooperate fully with you in getting Dr. Eppes and the data returned safely. Please understand that we have standing orders to apprehend all high risk entrants into this country. We were not trying to put your family at risk."
Terry looked at David in confusion. It was obvious to Don that the younger agent had not told her about his strained confrontation with Sub Director Reynolds.
"Sub Director Reynolds and I worked out the departmental friction that first occurred between our two agencies. It helped that Charlie has a head full of highly sensitive and classified information and when Homeland Security realized that he was one of the hostages they adjusted their method of approach. So tell me where we are and what is Yokonovitch doing right now?"
"We tailed him using seven unmarked vehicles. Agent Armstrong told us that Yokonovitch has a unique talent for spotting tails so we had to call in some extra manpower on this. He went to Csadras and had a rather long conversation with three known members of the Russian mafia in LA. They had dinner and he left around midnight. From there he came here to the Hotel Casa Del Mar and checked in for the night." Terry replied.
Don looked at the man in the back seat and asked, "Agent Armstrong have there been any other 'High Risk' entrants into the LA area?"
The Homeland Security agent pulled out a cell phone that looked like a cross between a phone and a small computer and punched in some numbers.
"So far it's only been Dimetry. If you believe that this buy will happen soon I'd say that Yokonovitch is our man."
Don looked at the hotel across the plaza from them.
"What room did he check into?"
David answered "347. It's the fourth window from the corner. We have agents in the room just to the left and across the street in that office building. He is in there and has only made one call to room service. Right now he is lying in bed and watching TV."
Don smiled at David and Terry.
"You guys have done good work. It is several hours until dawn, why don't you go get some rest."
David said, "What about you Don? You haven't slept in almost two days."
Don knew that he looked tired but he felt much better after his discussion with Sub Director Reynolds and having gone home and showered.
"I'll be fine. I couldn't sleep right now unless you hit me over the head with a sludge hammer. Now follow orders and get going."
Agent Armstrong moved to the front passenger seat and Don got into the driver's seat after Terry and David had left.
Agent Armstrong said, "Agent Eppes, I am fresh and you were right to send your people home. If this thing happens tomorrow we will all need to be ready for anything especially with the lives of hostages at stake."
Don looked over at this man and realized that he was trying to tactfully tell Don that he should go home as well.
"I'm glad to hear that you are fresh."
Don smirked and turned his attention back to the hotel across the street and after about half an hour he did dose off.
As the sun crested the horizon around five forty five Don sat up with a start. Agent Armstrong was sipping a coffee and handed a fresh cup to Don.
"Agent Lake stopped by with these a few minutes ago. Yokonovitch hasn't stirred yet and so far no one else has entered the country that has flagged either HLS, Immigration or the FBI. Agents Lake and Sinclair have pulled around to the back of the Hotel to relieve the team there and cover a rear departure. We have a man working the reception desk and the valet service. Yokonovitch used the valet to have his vehicle parked last night. The car was searched thoroughly and the only thing that we turned up was a receipt for dinner at Csadras last night."
This agent had really impressed Don with his professionalism and his blatant refusal to say anything about the fact that Don had gotten some sleep. He made sure that Don was fully briefed on the night's surveillance and continued to sip his coffee as though they had spent the entire time that Don slept discussing the case.
Don took a sip of his coffee and said, "It's Don, by the way."
Agent Armstrong nodded slightly and said "I'm Jeff."
Charlie spent the night sitting on the floor next to his father holding his hand. As the first rays of sunlight shown through the thin curtains drawn across the window and began to brighten the room Charlie's hand fell from the bed jarring him awake.
It took him a moment to clear his mind and recall where he was. He turned to his father and felt his brow only to find that his temperature had not come down but he was breathing evenly. Trevor was asleep in the other bed and Michael was not in the room at the moment. Charlie got stiffly to his feet and moved over to the laptop to check on the progress of the decryption. There were at least two hours left to go. He checked to make sure that the towel rod was still hidden then sat back to wait for his opportunity.
Michael returned to the room just after seven in the morning. He looked over at Charlie but said nothing to him. Trevor heard Michael come in and sat up rubbing his face.
"How is it coming professor?"
Charlie checked the laptop and said, "Another hour yet."
Trevor checked his watch and said, "Excellent." and stood up to stretch. "You haven't had anything to eat, do you want some breakfast?"
Charlie looked at the man who had kidnapped him and ruthlessly shot his father and was now offering to get him breakfast like they were old friends as though he were insane. The thought of food right now turned his stomach and Charlie just shook his head.
"Ok suit yourself."
Trevor glanced over at Alan and saw that his face was rather pale. The older man wouldn't live the rest of the day.
"I'm going to get some coffee, keep an eye on things." Trevor stepped out of the room but before he had gotten a few feet from the door Michael stepped out to and they started talking. Charlie moved quickly to the door, which was not closed tightly and listened.
"Trev, I got a bad feeling about this. I don't trust that guy, he's smart."
Trevor sighed and said, "We don't have much choice. Yokonovitch will be at slip A500 by noon. Look, once the data is safely on that disk we are golden. Marina Del Rae is only half an hour from here. We'll get there early, ditch the car and by twelve thirty we'll be on our way. By the time the police find the Eppes' we'll be safely out of the country. Just relax and keep it together for a couple more hours."
Charlie went white at Trevor's comment about finding him and his father and backed away from the door. He went over to his father and sat down before Michael came back through the door.
After applying a fresh towel to his father's brow Charlie went back to the computer and sat at the folding table doodling on a piece of paper. Trevor cam back within an hour and while he and Michael spoke quietly in the corner Charlie folded up a small piece of paper and slipped it in the front of his jeans.
As soon as the decoding finished Charlie called the men over. The data will now transfer from the number sieve to the disk and he started the process. Trevor watched as the material flew across the screen and he knew that Charlie had done a complete job.
Once the download was complete Charlie leaned over and grabbed the towel bar while Michael took the disk from the laptop drive. As Charlie sat up he gripped the bar firmly in one hand and picked up the palm pilot with the other and set it on top of the laptop. He stood up quickly and grabbed the towel bar with both hands and brought it down as hard as he could on top of the palm pilot and laptop.
"What the hell…"
Charlie smashed the computer again before Trevor had a chance to push him back away from the folding table. Charlie fell back hard into the wall and hit his head sending searing pain through his skull and flashes of blinding light across his vision.
Trevor pulled out his gun and pointed it directly at Charlie's head and yelled, "Bad move professor!"
Alan, roused by the commotion saw what was happening and screamed, "Charlie look out!"
Charlie still had flashes in front of his eyes but ducked sideways under the folding table as Trevor fired. He heard his father's voice screaming "No!" and he began hollering, "It's locked! The disk is locked!"
Trevor grabbed the folding table to push it aside when Michael grabbed his arm and said, "Wait!"
Trevor turned to Michael anger etched in his face but the hacker said, "If it's locked then we need him to tell us the password! I told you I didn't trust him!"
Trevor stood back still holding the gun and said, "You locked the disk with a password?"
Charlie got up shaking from under the table trying to stand as steady as he could with his head spinning like a whirling dervish.
Trevor walked over to Alan who had managed to sit up and pressed the hot muzzle of the revolver to Alan's head.
"Tell me the password or he dies right now!" Charlie said
"You need the password; my father needs to be in a hospital! When he gets what he needs you get what you need!"
Charlie felt a perverse pleasure in turning the tables so poetically on this man.
"I will kill him, and you know it." But Trevor didn't sound as confident as he wanted to.
"If my father dies you get nothing! The laptop and palm pilot are fried! That disk is all you have left and you know it!"
Charlie's heart was pounding madly in his chest and he wobbled and had to put a hand out to the wall to brace himself. For a fleeting moment he was certain that he had just signed his father's death warrant but Trevor realizing that Charlie had backed him into a corner lowered his gun.
He looked at Michael and said, "Load the car." Then he looked at Charlie "Well you seem to have out smarted us for the moment, professor but mind you, passwords can be broken so don't push your advantage. We will call for an ambulance when we are ready to leave and then you will give me that password."
Charlie shook his head and said "No. I am going with you when you meet the people you are selling this information to because as soon as I give you the key to unlock that disk you will kill me and I am betting that you don't want to kill someone in front of your buyers."
Alan moaned and fell back on the bed clutching his side.
"Dad!"
Charlie pushed past Trevor and helped his father get his legs back up on the bed. His wound had started bleeding again and Charlie grabbed the towel that he had been using to keep his fever down and pressed it to his wound.
"Hold on Dad, help is coming."
Michael came back into the room and Trevor spoke quietly to him explaining what Charlie was demanding. Charlie took the folded paper from his jeans and closed it in his father's hand and whispered, "Get this to Don."
Michael and Trevor had finished and Trevor said, "Time to go, professor. Once we are away we will call for an ambulance."
Charlie leaned over and kissed his father on the forehead and said, "It'll be alright Dad."
Alan tried to smile but it turned into a grimace of pain. Charlie stood up and followed the men out to the car but kept looking back at his father lying there in pain and bleeding to death. They got in the car and drove away from the truck stop motel.
They had gotten almost two blocks away when Charlie said, "Stop now, there is a pay phone over there…" he said pointing across the street "We call for an ambulance right now or I forget that password."
Trevor turned left into the lot of the convenience store with the pay phone. "Make the call Mike."
Charlie said, "No I will call, you can listen but I want to be sure that emergency services is actually contacted. Pardon me if I don't trust you."
Michael pulled a pistol out of the glove compartment and got out of the car. He covered the pistol with his blazer and told Charlie to get out. Charlie stepped out of the car and walked to the phone with Michael right by his side. He dialed 911 and told the operator that there was a man with a serious gunshot wound in Room 39 at the Truck Stop Motel on route 110. The operator tried to take his name but he said, "Please hurry, the man is bleeding to death. You must send advanced life support right away."
Michael reached over and hung up the phone. "OK the ambulance is on its way, lets move." and he jabbed the revolver into Charlie's ribs.
