Don't own Chuck
The false medic finished wrapping up the Commandant as they pulled into a parking garage. They had to get off the road as quickly as possible once the authorities started sorting who was who they'd figure he was missing. If they figured that out then the 'how' would lead the authorities to start searching ambulances.
"We're here," yelled the driver into the back as he cut off his lights a couple of blocks away. He didn't want to attract attention as he turned off driving into parking garage. He drove down the ramps to the lower levels where they'd be out of sight from the eye in the sky above.
"Okay grab your stuff," yelled the driver. "We switch vehicles here." They left the ambulance switching out to another vehicle they'd stashed there days before. While the EMTs changed out of their uniforms the Commandant got in the Escalade and phone a man he called the Brigadier. Everyone had a boss and in the food chain of their organization the Brigadier was his.
"I just wanted to touch bases and let you know everything went off almost as we planned. There were a couple of hiccups but I managed to deal with them by improvising. There were trained agents at the gala that almost cost us our prize but like I said I dealt with them. What's pressing now is we have got a problem with Pete and his crew. They're trying to strong arm us for more money. That they can't be trusted is no big surprise to anyone. I played it off like I was going along. However, I don't know about you but I don't like it."
"I don't like it either. Do we really need them after they deliver the merchandise? If we don't I was thinking we could use them for another project. I was going to use a group of homeless vagrants but they'd make the perfect test subjects for a little demonstration of our product."
"My feelings exactly it's one thing to tell our clients what our product does but it's another when they can see it firsthand. Pete's crew is recovering the canisters as we speak then they're going to bring them to the safe house."
"Good you can deal with him there. I don't have to tell you we can't afford any screw ups on this operation. When we hid our canisters in those statues when our capital fell we knew we'd have this one opportunity to retrieve them. Now that we're here we can make a name for ourselves and get rich too."
"I understand I need to run to get everything ready for our little demonstration," said the Commandant. He hung up and put away his phone as his other two men started to climb on board.
"Is everything okay Commandant? Are we ready to roll," asked the driver as he looked back at the man in the rearview.
"Do you have an oxygen tank and apparatus on the ambulance?" The Medic nodded his head as he turned around. "Good go get them and load them in the trunk. I'm going to need them then on the way to the safe house we need to stop by Large Mart. They're open 24/7 I'm going to need some duct tape and plastic drop clothes."
The men went out to get the tank and equipment while the Commandant sat in the back. The one Medic looked at the other then over at the Escalade.
"Do you have any idea what he needs this stuff for," asked the one but the other man just shrugged his shoulders. "Gabir this doesn't bother you at all?"
"No not really brother don't you see we're fulling a dream and you know what they say you have to break a few eggs to make an ojji. Just be grateful you've been given this opportunity. The Commandant is a great man and we're lucky to serve him."
"Yes, you've told me that over and over. But what's he going to do with this stuff and with what he plans on buying... It sounds like he's making his own gas chamber," said the one but he caught to look of his friend Gabir. "I know, I know you have to break a few eggs to make an ojji."
"Will you guys hurry up," yelled the Commandant. "We've got to get things ready before Pete and his crew arrive."
"See you made the Commandant mad. I hope you're happy now? Come on we need to go before he gets even angrier."
"Actually all this talk about breaking eggs and making omelets has made me hungry. I wonder after everything is done if he'll let us go out to eat."
"I've got a dozen eggs in the fridge at the safe house and an onion. I can whip up something once we're done."
"My mother used to put zucchini in hers and we ate them with addas bi husrem. They were so good together."
"Listen Zaid I'm not your mother and we don't have any lentil soup so you can eat my ojji the way I cook it or go without. The choice is yours," said Gabir as they got in the car.
"Can I ask what you two were arguing about," asked the Commandant as the two got in the car then Gabir started it up and they headed back up the ramp. "Zaid is hungry and I offered to cook us an ojji with onions but he wants zucchini we don't have."
"I didn't say I wanted it with zucchini I simply said my mother made them with zucchini and we usually ate them with lentil parsley soup."
"My mother used to put spinach in hers that she grew in her garden behind her house. And we usually at them with addas bi husrem too until a tomahawk missile mistook her house for a munitions depot on the Tigris... But what were you planning on putting with your omelet?"
"I was thinking about cutting up an onion, browning it then adding it to the eggs. I read they're supposed to be good for you."
"Zaid, I think we should give our brother Gabir the benefit of the doubt and let him try his recipe. You and I can prepare the room while Gabir tries his hand with the skillet. This talk about food has gotten me hungry too. I didn't get to eat much at the gala before we had to begin thanks to that meddler."
They all laughed but Zaid gave Gabir a look when the Commandant mentioned preparing the room. However, he kept his mouth shut which turned out to be the best course of action.
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Chuck played back the recording again and again but the recorder was too far from the source to pick up anything he could make out. There was just too much background noise to hear clearly. When he got home he'd have to download it to the Castle mainframe then try to enhance it eliminating all the ambient interference but that could take time which he wasn't sure they had.
"Look this is useless to do here. I'm sorry this just isn't working I'm going to have to take this and work on it to make it audible," said Chuck as he switched it off then put it away.
"It's all right Sweetie," said Sarah. "You did your best. Maybe we should all just let the downtown team sort through this mess and see what they come up with."
"I just don't understand why the senseless violence," said Jamil as his wife put her hand around him which was a little too much show of affection considering where they came from.
"I'm sorry I keep thinking we're missing something. Sarah you said they were running wheelbarrows back and forth under the second floor deck?"
"Yes it seemed they were running rubble back. I couldn't see the loads very well but that's what it looked like."
"Let's go look downstairs under the deck and see if we can figure what our perps were up to then we need to get Sam home," said Chuck. Sarah nodded her head. They walked down below and under the upper floor. There were wheelbarrows and piles of debris next to a floor plate.
"What's below that," asked Casey. "I've got fresh scratches on the screw heads. This plated has been opened recently."
"That's an access port to the county drainage run off. The drainage system was in place before this building was constructed so instead of spending additional funding to move it. The port was incorporated into the design," said a man behind them.
"You're very informed about this building and its construction. If you don't mind who exactly are you?" asked the Chuck. The man piqued Chuck's interest.
"Oh I'm sorry Anthony Mason, Doctor Anthony Mason. I'm the curator for the museum unfortunately and the man who is going to be buried under paperwork to fill out all the insurance claims that will be rolling in."
"Well I think you ought to count your lucky stars that you're still around to fill out those claims. You could have ended up like one of those unfortunates out in the parking lot."
"Yes I supposed you're right," said the curator. "My joke was a little inappropriate and insensitive I'm sorry."
"So this leads straight down the drainage run off. Meaning anything I drop down here will run through to where?"
"I really couldn't tell you. There are men who come from the county that clean it out twice a year as a matter of fact they were here recently. I know it's big enough for them to work in when the water level is low."
"That might be true but it's not low now if you're thinking some of them gone out this way," said Casey. He could tell by putting his hand on the metal and feeling it vibrate. "It feels like there's a good current going."
"No I don't think they used it as a means of escape but a means of transporting their contraband. Whatever they were removing from these the statues it ended up here then someone dumped it down this port... we need to X-ray those statues up on the second deck. They still might have whatever contraband in them that was dumped down here."
"That's right those two men came up with sledgehammers but we took them out before they could go to work."
"I could bust them up right now and we can take a peek," said Casey. He stood up and picked up a sledgehammer. "It would be short work just like an Easter egg."
"No John enough priceless artifacts were destroyed here tonight. We can X-ray tomorrow then figure out a safe way to remove whatever we find inside. If we find anything so there's no reason to break them for nothing.
"Thank you," said Jamil. "My daughter particularly likes the Sphinx and it's one of the few pieces left untouched."
"Jamil, look at this," said Chuck. "This is supposed to cuneiform but this is just... well it looks like chicken scratch. It's not even a good imitation."
"You read cuneiform? I know your daughter is amazing in her ability to judge artifacts but... I guess it's true the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I'm sorry I'm no expert I just know what my father told me but I studied business not archeology. I... we live in London I left Iraq after what happened to my father. I think you can understand why. This trip was a sort of tribute to my father and his sacrifice from the government."
"I see so other than what your father told you about these statues and monuments you've no way to verify their authenticity."
"That would be up to us," said the curator. "We have a resident expert who authenticates finds like these. I have his card and number in my office."
"Major, go with the curator and get that card. I want him interviewed first thing in the morning and look over his notes. He might have some explaining to do. Let's break here," said the General. She caught Chuck and Sarah looking at their watches.
They all walked back outside to find the two girls fast asleep in the back of Casey's car. Chuck smiled at Jamil.
"Now that's a treasure no one can steal from you. Tell you what it might be a little tight but why don't we give you a ride to your hotel."
"I don't want to take you out of your way or impose. We can call a taxi," said Jamil. But the look on his wife's face said she wasn't happy with his decision.
"Come on it's no imposition," said Chuck. "Besides have you ever tried to get a taxi this late at night in L.A. If you do find one he'll charge you an arm and a leg."
"Then I guess we've got no choice other than to accept your kind hospitality. Our government got us rooms at the Waldron. Are you familiar with it?"
"Really, the Waldron..." said Chuck. Sarah elbowed him to be quiet. "Yes the Waldron is a very nice hotel."
"I don't seem to see very many families there. I really don't know why. Their rooms are good price and it seems close to everything," said Jamil as they all got into Sarah's car.
There was silence when Sarah got behind the steering wheel. They remained quiet until they got out at the Waldron where they said their goodbyes. A very sleepy Sam just waved good bye to Samaa then they went home to Echo Park.
"Can you take care of getting Sam in bed by yourself," asked Chuck. "I want to get this voice enhancing started. If I let it run through the night maybe we'll have something by morning."
"Sure but don't expect me to be doing any belly dancing for you. At least not for the next four months."
"But afterwards..." Chuck started to ask but she gave him a look then turned taking Sam to her bedroom.
"I don't need to have a man drive me around or to ask permission of go out," said Sarah. "This is one girl who can take care of herself."
"Excuse me but where's this coming from," asked Chuck. He put aside what he was working on to go be with her. She was pulling off Sam's clothes trying to put on her pajama but it was like Sam was made out of jelly and had no bones.
"Let me help," said Chuck as he came over but Sarah pushed him away. "We girls can take care of ourselves, right? We don't need men."
"Yeap," said Sam half asleep she didn't even know what she was agreeing to just that by agreeing she could get into bed that much quicker.
"What's going on with you? Are you thinking about the way Jamil and Noora acted when you got in to drive us home?"
"Why can't I drive a car? It'd really blow their mind if they knew the car was mine and I only permit you to drive it in extreme circumstance."
"Yeah we need to talk about that one of these days," said Chuck then he caught her look. "But not right now. Their culture is different from ours. We're not going to change the other so we should just accept to be different. Right now Noora is probably talking about that crazy pregnant American blonde lady. But I think what really freaked them out was when you pulled your piece."
"I never thought about that but you're right. They looked like people in one of those comic movies when crap happens and their eyes turn as big as pies. I know this is mean of me but I thought Jamil was going to... well have to change his pants when I shot that first waiter," said Sarah as she tucked Sam in bed then kissed her.
"Come here," said Chuck as he held her. "I love my little Annie Oakley the fastest trigger in the west. You just have trouble counting rounds but I still love you."
"I love you too," said Sarah as she kissed him back. "Like I said I had the situation under control. You need to get that sound enhancement started. While you do that I'm going to get ready for bed but I won't swear I'll still be awake. Between the night and Walnut I'm beat."
"You don't have to try if you're that tired just go on. I'll be in as soon as I can," he said then he kissed her again. She went off to the bed room while he went back to the living room.
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Under the cover of night Pete's crew recovered ten canisters from the runoff at the channel drain. Showers in the mountains increased the volume of flow which made the recovery both difficult and dangerous. As they recovered the canisters they loaded them in their van before taking off for the safe house.
"Be careful with that thing," yelled one of Pete's men. "Hold on to the net or you're going to lose it. If you lose it we'll have to go fishing downstream."
"Marty watch your footing or the current will take you away," yelled Pete. "We can't let any of these get away."
"Marty what do you think is inside these things?" asked one of the men working next to him. "You think it could be the Shah's hidden treasure."
"Idiot wrong country, the Shah was in Iran and if you want to know what's inside you should ask Pete. He's the one that cut this deal so he should know."
"A lot of none of your business," said Pete. "If you ladies would hurry up we can deliver this and be a little richer. I hit them with the forty – sixty split and they took it without batting an eye. We can expect partial payment tonight but I'm thinking they took the forty – sixty split so easily that we drop a fifty – fifty on them right now while we have them over a barrel."
"You don't think you're going to piss them off like that do you? These people when they get mad you don't know what they'll do."
"They want these," said Pete as he patted a canister. "We have them and if they want them they'll pay us. We have them by the canisters."
"I don't see any more coming l think we got them all," said Marty. "I thought you told us there was supposed to be twelve? I only count ten what happened to the other two?"
"They must have trouble counting. Come on let's go I think I hear sirens coming this way. Come on I don't want to get caught with this crap," said Pete. He got his crew and canisters load up in the van then took out trying to put as much distance as possible between them and the sirens. They left just in time as blue lights and black Escalades passed them heading in the opposite direction.
"We're going to drop nine of these canisters off at our storage bin. They should be safe there. But we want to stash the canisters before we go to the meet,"said Pete. "I'm no idiot we turn everything over to them then we won't see a dime."
"Again do you think this is the right move?"
"Who's the boss and who's the peon?"
[At the safe house]
The Commandant and Zaid prepared the room by tapping the windows shut then putting plastic sheets on the floor. The idea was to capture everything in living color so they placed wireless cameras in different locations. They even installed a P.A. System to communicate back and forth when the door was closed.
"Okay this should be it," said the Commandant. "Let's go see if Gabir has finished cooking. I have to say the smell is good."
They walked into the kitchen to find Gabir in an apron plating his Ojji. The Commandant was right the smell was good. He broke off a piece and tried it. "Humm this is good, I think I'm going to make you our official cook. Zaid try it and see."
"Commandant you're right it is good," said Zaid as they all sat down to eat. "Very good Gabir, not as good as my mother's but good the same."
"I talked with the Brigadier and we're supposed to get more men tomorrow. He's activating a sleeper cell to give us more support," said the Commandant. He saw the looks on his men's face. "What you thought we were going to do this all alone? Don't worry I'll take care of you."
Zaid had to bite his tongue. He wanted to remind their glorious leader that that was the same speech he gave to the guys that followed him as waiters to the Gala and none of them returned. But he kept his mouth closed it was healthier for him that way.
"We've got company," said Gabir. He saw a van pull up out front in a surveillance camera they'd set up outside.
"That would be Pete and his crew, open the garage and have them drive in. We don't want any vehicles parked on the street that can draw attention."
"You monitor from here and let me go deal with Pete. I know how to handle his kind," said the Commandant as he pulled his Russian TT-33 checked it then put it in back in his shoulder holster. "Like I said watch us through the monitor I'll be right back."