Brothers in Arms

Chapter 08

Tony Castle sat in the observation tower he had built in a tree nearby. He did not like the red light that was appearing on his computer. It indicated there was a malfunction in the remote on the knockout gas tank. Had Ironside discovered it? He could not rule out that possibility. Ironside was a very worthy adversary. The man was known for his brilliance in deduction. Castle knew he had single handedly disarmed several opponents including Jimmy Chard, not once but twice. Ironside was not to be underestimated. Many had and they now resided behind bars.

Castle also knew the man with Ironside was Perry Mason, the well-known criminal attorney from Los Angeles. He was aware of this man's reputation as well. He did not just clear his clients but uncovered the killers. Those two minds working together would be too much for any one individual to overcome. Proof was in the well-publicized trials in San Francisco. Scott Whitmore had been accused of murdering a police office. Mason and Ironside had joined forces and cleared Whitmore. They came together again to defend Commissioner Dennis Randall. That time the combined talent not only cleared Randall but also brought down an entire drug trafficking ring as well as the governor of California. No, Castle would not underestimate these two men. It had been discovered they were brothers. They would go to great lengths to protect each other. That would make them even more dangerous.

Castle checked the cameras around the cabin. There was no activity outside. All four cameras were functioning correctly and would pick up any movement. They were activated by movement. Castle would be alerted on the computer monitoring system if either man tried to venture outside of the cabin.

Time was running out. Castle would have to make his move very soon. He had researched both these men and knew both reported to their perspective staffs when away from the office. He did not doubt their people were already checking on both of them. The explosives he set around the area would keep them at bay for a while but not for long. Both Ironside and Mason commanded loyalty in the people around them. Castle knew they would stop at nothing to try to save these two.

It is entirely too bad Mason has chosen this time to join Ironside at the cabin. Castle had no argument with him. He could use an attorney of Mason's talent. Unfortunately, in order to take out Ironside, he had no choice but to take Mason with him. Castle figured his advantage was Mason and Ironside were thinking he would plan this as another Special Forces assignment. He did not intend to quietly take them out. Castle want Ironside to know who was ending his life and why. No, this time his method was a dog. Otto, the German Shepherd would obey his every command. What Ironside did not know was Castle had trained with this dog. He had trained him with a particular whistle. He had never disobeyed his commands. Otto had been sold to Dunlap's kennel by the government after Castle had been court martialed. Otto became Dunlap's property when he signed a contract to train war dogs for the military.

Castle would force Ironside to watch Otto tear his brother apart and then Castle would turn him loose on Ironside. He would enjoy watching him take his last breath as life left his worthless body.

Castle checked the monitors one more time. The only malfunction the computer was registering was that remote control on the knockout tank. He hoped it was a computer problem and not an actual problem with the remote. He wanted to already have Ironside & Mason under his control when he entered. It was now time to go get Otto.

xxxxx

Ironside held the flashlight and watched as Perry ran electrical wiring from the bathtub to the door. Perry wrapped the wire around the metal handle of the door. Ironside backed his chair from the door, reaching down and tucking the wire between the floorboards. He continued tucking it until he reached just inside the bathroom and tucked it under the rug. Ironside then cut off the protective grounding coating from the wire and set it in the bathtub full of water. Just as he had when he set something up similar with Jimmy Chard, he concealed the wire with a bath towel. He wheeled back into the cabin's living room.

"All set on this end, Bob."

"Just as soon as Otto warns us that our man is near, you go back to the utility room and turn on the breaker. If everything goes right, that will be the end of our friend." Ironside looked at his younger brother. "Perry, if for some reason this doesn't work, and you get the chance to use your knife, you go for a kill period. Is that clear?"

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. The same goes for you Bob. You will have the one gun. When he asked for the gun that was used earlier, I will be the one to give it to them. You are an experience police officer and I have no doubt you are a better shot and have a much better chance of hitting your target. And while we are at it, let's get something else straight. You are not to sacrifice yourself to protect me. We both walk out of here or we both die here. Is THAT clear?" Perry said.

In his usual gruff manner Ironside barked, "In case you have noticed, Counselor, I can't walk."

Perry looked at Ironside and a smile broke across his face. "It's nice to know you have not lost your sense of humor."

Ironside grunted. "Let's see what use we can make of that fishing line."

xxxxx

Castle approached his pickup truck. His senses told him something was wrong. The front driver's door was opened. He moved silently toward the door. Castle looked inside. "Damn it," he shouted. The dog was gone. But how? He knew he had locked the door. The dog was smart but there was no way he could have opened that door and let himself out. Could Mason have somehow gotten by his explosives? Castle shook his head. Ridiculous, he thought. Mason would have no idea Castle had the dog with him. Besides Otto would have torn him up as soon as the door was opened.

He had to find that dog. Otherwise, he would have to change his plan. He did not want to do that. He wanted the dog to take care of Ironside and Mason. Castle looked at his watch. It was now three o'clock. He didn't have a lot of time. He would try to find Otto before making a decision on what he would do next. Castle shined his flashlight on the ground to follow Otto's tracks.

xxxxx

Ed Brown rubbed his tired eyes. With the knowledge Castle had taken Otto, he, Eve and Mark decide not to wait any longer. They were going to head up to the Commissioner's cabin. Randall had not appreciated being called at such a late hour but his sour mood immediately changed to worry and complete cooperation. He had hung up the phone and arranged for a private jet to take them to the closest airport to his cabin.

Ed sat with Eve and Mark, as all three worried about their boss. The door banged open and Commissioner Dennis Randall walked in. "Sergeant, have you contacted the local police up there?"

"Yes sir. They will be waiting for us. They wanted to go in but I believe Castle will wait until just before daylight. Dunlap has gone back to the kennel to pick up several bomb- sniffing dogs. He believes Castle will have the area rigged with explosives. He is also bringing several attack dogs with us. He is going to meet us at the airport with the dogs and their handlers," Ed explained.

"What about Perry's people? Have they been informed about the latest developments?" Randall asked.

"No, not yet. I was about to do that when you came in," Ed answered.

The phone rang. Mark reached and punched the speaker button. "Chief Ironside's office"

"Mark, this is Paul Drake. I need to talk to Ed."

"Right here, Paul. I was just about to call you. The chief's missing dog from the Dunlap kennel was stolen by Tony Castle. He has been positively identified from the photo sent by Lt. Tragg."

"Listen, Ed. We now know with complete certainty that Chief Ironside is Castle's target." Paul went on to explain the conversation that had taken place with Rose Dove.

"Commission Randall has arranged for a private jet to take us to the closest airport. We are leaving as soon as we get off the phone. Dunlap is meeting us there with several of his dogs and their handlers," Ed told him.

"Sergeant, this is Lt. Tragg. We are calling you from a satellite phone. We are already aboard a private jet and we will reach their just about the same time you do. We'll meet you there."

"Alright Lieutenant. If you get there ahead of us, the guy in charge is Captain Darwin Winsel. He has called in as many of his men as he can reach as well as surrounding police departments."

"Ok, Ed. We'll see you soon."

Ed Brown hung up the phone.

xxxxx

Perry looked out the window. "Bob, there is a camera in the corner concealed somewhat by the light."

I don't doubt there is one on every corner," Ironside said.

"Just how good a shot are you?" Mason asked.

"Very good, why?" Ironside asked.

"Why not shoot those out and blind our friend out there." Perry turned from the window to look directly at his brother.

"If we shoot off a gun, he will know it. The sound out there would carry." Ironside said.

"So what? He has to be monitoring us from somewhere. He would probably know it anyway," Perry argued.

Ironside conceded, "Alright Perry, give me your gun and bring those bullets."

Perry complied with Ironside's wishes and handed him his gun. Ironside took the bullets and added bullets to it. Wheeling over to the door, he opened it slightly. Bullets immediately started riddling the area over top of the door. Ironside slammed the door. He wheeled over to the window, opened it, and waited…..nothing. Ironside pointed his service revolver at the camera and fired. He took the camera out with one shot.

"Nice shooting," Perry said.

"I am a cop," Ironside snarled while wheeling to the window on the other side of the room. He opened it slightly and again took out the camera with one shot. "We can get to one more camera in the back of the house but the last one has no window near it." He wheel into the kitchen and shot out the third camera. "We still have one in operation. We cannot do anything about that one."

"At least it he can't watch us from the front," Perry said.

"That's comforting since if we leave the front door we get shot," Ironside said sarcastically.

"What are we going to do with the fish line?" Perry asked.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Ironside asked.

"Where can we set it up to trip him?" Perry asked.

"The door opens to the outside. Run it across the door just about ankle high," Ironside answered.

Using his knife, Perry measured and cut the fish line the width of the door. "How are we going to tack it on here?"

"That is exactly what we are going to do, tack it on. Dennis has tacks in the back of the large drawer in the utility room. I doubt our friend found them. The drawer sticks and you have to pull on it to get to back of the drawer," Ironside answered.

Mason walked to the utility room and opened the drawer. It stopped. Ironside was right it was stuck. It took him a couple minutes to maneuver the drawer so that he could pull it completely out. Perry spotted the tacks and removed them from the drawer. With tacks in hand, he went back to the front door. He stood by the front door and tacked the fishing line just at his own ankles. He then tacked the other side.

"Do the same to the back door," Ironside instructed.

Perry left the room, returning a couple minutes later and nodded to his brother indicating the job was done.

Ironside studied the front door. "If the electricity doesn't get him and he trips, shoot him and shoot to kill."

Perry nodded. "Now what about the door going down to the crawl space?"

Ironside knew what Perry was thinking but shook his head. "I thought about that but it would not do any good. I don't think we could get him over there. No, I think we would be better off securing that door so he can't come in that way."

Perry looked around the room. He went over to a large reclining chair, pushed it toward the crawl space door, placing it over the door so that it could not be raised.

"Perry, secure the windows. They all have locks."

Mason left the room while Ironside secured the windows in the living room. After a few minutes, all windows in the cabin had been locked.

"The knockout gas. There is got to be a way to use it," Ironside said. "Let me see that tank."

Perry grabbed the tank and handed it to his brother. Ironside studied the tank. "By pulling this off," he pointed to the large cap, "we could release a lot of gas at once. I just don't see how we could do it without his seeing what we were up to."

"Maybe we could use it as a backup. If we get the upper hand we could pull it out and pull the cap on him." Perry was skeptical.

"Perry put it in between those two chairs over there to the right. Make sure they are close enough together to conceal it but not so close, it could not be pulled out quickly. I doubt we will be given the chance to use it any way." Ironside said.

"There isn't much more we can do with what we have to work with," Perry observed.

"Get a bottle of bourbon and a couple glasses." Ironside ordered.

"You want a drink at a time like this?" Perry asked in disbelief. Then it hit him. "Alcohol stings if it gets in your eyes."

Ironside ginned. "Pour two glasses and put one beside me and one beside you. If might just buy us the few seconds we need."

Perry poured the bourbon and placed the glasses. He set the bottle on the coffee table. "Now what?"

"We wait." Ironside said. "Otto, come." Otto took his place beside Ironside.

xxxxx

After Ed hung up the phone, he turned to his fellow police officers. "Let's go."

Commissioner Randall got up, "Sergeant, I am going with you."

"Yes sir," Ed said.

There was a knock on the door. Eve looked at Mark. He got up and went to the door. When he opened it, Barbara Jones stepped into the room. "Hello Mark. I would like to see Robert."

"He's not here right now," Mark said.

"All right, I'll wait." Barbara headed down the ramp. She looked at the faces of Ironside's staff and knew immediately something was wrong. "Where is Bob?"

Eve stood up. "Barbara, we really don't have time to explain. We are on our way out. If you would like to wait, we will call you as soon as we see the chief."

From the serious looks on the faces of the people Ironside cared about most, Barbara knew something was very wrong. She shook her head. "If you are going to Robert, then I am going with you."

"That is not possible," Ed said.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Look, we have to go. We will have the chief call you," Ed said.

Barbara stood in front of the ramp. "You are not going anywhere until you tell me what is going on? Is Bob in trouble?"

Commissioner Randall decided to take charge. "Barbara, Bob is up at my cabin with Perry Mason. It was supposed to be a vacation for both of them."

"Supposed to be? What is that supposed to mean?"

"We believe there is a man who is there to attempt to kill both Bob and Perry. We are on our way to meet Perry's staff and the police in the area of my cabin. If you will stay here, we will contact you as soon as we are sure Bob and Perry are safe," Randall said.

"Wait here! Oh no, that is not happening. I am going with you," she insisted.

"I can't allow that. The chief would kill me if I allowed you to be put in any danger," Ed said. "Wait here. We will call you as soon as we can."

"Wait here for what? To know if he is dead or alive? We both have been through so much already. If Robert is in trouble, than I am going and I will not taking no for an answer. I am going with you," she cried.

"I can't allow that," Sgt. Brown stood his ground.

"You don't have a choice. I am going to Robert," she continued to insist.

Commissioner Randall put his hand up to stop Ed from saying anymore. "I will take the responsibility, Sergeant. Ok, Barbara, you can come with us but you will have to follow our orders. If I allowed anything to happen to you, I would not want to face Bob. Are we in agreement?"

Barbara nodded.

Sgt. Brown backed off as Commissioner Randall outranked him. "Let's go"

xxxxx

Otto sat beside his friend. He could feel the uneasiness his friend felt. At the same time, his instincts told him something was very wrong. His sense of smell told him the stranger was not far off. He did not like the stranger. Something was familiar about him. He knew the stranger. All he could remember was he had been forced to work with this stranger. Otto remembered the stranger hurt him. He would not allow the stranger to hurt his friend. He whined as his friend scratched his ear and said, "Easy, boy." Otto could sense trouble coming.

xxxxx