CH82
Kate and the boys had finally given up and told Captain Montgomery that they were no closer to finding their poison killer, and as much as it pained them, it was time to call in the FBI on this one.
Anyone this good is a contract killer and has probably done this in other cities.
Roy nodded and made the call then told them the FBI would be in first thing in the morning. They were ordered to help the FBI in any way needed.
Kate headed home reminding the guys to show up for dinner at her house at 7:00 pm.
Kate found Rick in the kitchen laying out ingredients for dinner that evening. "How was the bike ride with my dad?"
"It was great, you didn't tell me you two were baseball fans. He's even gotten Alexis to want to go to one with him when the season starts." Rick tells her. "I'll probably let him take her by himself most of the time.
I think he got the bike on a whim, but I think Alexis is going to keep him on it for years to come." Rick tells her laughing.
This got Kate to start giggling about it. She could see her dad getting the bike and then never riding it again. However with Alexis around he was going to pay for that spontaneous purchase, in spades.
"What's for dinner?" Kate is curious.
Picante Chicken Enchiladas
1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Picante Sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 ounces)
6 flour tortillas (8-inch), warmed
1 green onion, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
The recipe only served six and since there would be mostly guys for dinner tonight he was actually making two batches.
Kate volunteered to make one of them while Rick made the other.
Since Martha and Alexis also were there for dinner all the serious talk had to wait.
After Martha excused herself after making sure everyone was enjoying themselves Alexis with Sparky right behind her also went off to her room to play, after they went outside first. Sparky had to learn to do his business outside.
Rick pulled out his laptop and showed them his first location of choice. It was an old abandoned factory that was mostly just one floor. There was a construction site nearby that could be put to use also.
It had a crane already installed. Rick was thinking this would be a good place for Espo. His location would make him GOD in essence. He would communicate what he sees to everyone and with a sniper rifle that Rick was going to let him use; he could cover everyone on the outside.
His location would essentially put him in charge. Keep track of all the cars that came and went, where people went and who he would send after them.
Rick was going to take the roof of the building to cover people inside the structure. Roy and Ryan would go where Espo sent them, since he was GOD. Rick would take climbing gear with him in case he needed to get off the roof for some reason.
Kate was going to be the bait to get Bracken to come to her. Everyone was going to be wired and hopefully Kate could get Bracken to loosen his lips a bit and implicate himself.
Bracken was already fixated on Kate so getting him to come to her should prove to be simple.
Rick wanted as many of them alive as possible. If they could be rolled and implicate Bracken to get a lesser sentence.
Rick also wanted everyone in place several hours before the time selected. Rick wanted to know if Espo could stand being alone at the top of a crane for several hours.
"I've had sniper training; I can sit or lie down anywhere I have to for as long as necessary." Espo answers him.
"We also don't want to scare them away, so the use of the Dodge Chargers is out. I'm thinking Kate and I should get the ground group a couple of used rent a wrecks. Something that doesn't' scream POLICE.
I'd like the cars to blend into the area, not stand out like a sore thumb." Rick offers.
"Espo since you're GOD we need you to keep eyes open on who and how many show up that we have to deal with and tell us what you see. As to fire power we need to go to the garage." Rick tells them and starts walking.
"Espo this one is yours, I'll have an exact copy." Rick picks one out of his trunk and hands it over.
DSR-precision DSR 1 sniper rifle (Germany)
7.62x51mm NATO (.308Win), .300 Winchester Magnum, .338 Lapua Magnum, bolt action. The integrally silenced version of the DSR-1, also known as DSR-1 Subsonic, is unusual in the fact that the silencer is attached to the receiver rather than the barrel. Thus, the barrel is still free-floated within the silencer, and this guarantees consistent shot-to-shot accuracy. The trigger is two-stage, adjustable. DSR-1 features manual, ambidextrous three position safety, located above the trigger guard.
"It has an FLIR IR scope already attached for you to use." Rick hands it over getting a huge smile from Espo.
"Yours and mine are also going to be hooked up wireless to a video recorder. Everything you see looking thru this scope is going to be recorded for later. We may need it to keep our butts out of jail, let alone everyone keeping their jobs." Rick adds.
"Roy and Ryan can have these along with their service weapons and back-up's." Rick pulls out two more items and hands them over.
HK MP5SD3: Retractable buttstock, "SEF" trigger group, integrated suppressor. Along with 3 clips for each weapon.
"Kate and I have our weapons of choice. … Espo I've also got a little something for you to take home with you and get used to using. It might come in handy." Rick adds and walks over to a box on the garage floor.
EYE IN THE SKY
It is controlled by a joystick and includes a hand-held screen allowing the operator to see weak points in enemy formations.
The lightweight helicopter is fitted with four rota heads and is designed to hover over the battlefield giving a wide-angled view of enemy positions.
Its advanced surveillance systems send real-time images back to troops on a wrist-mounted monitor or using specially modified goggles within built-in screens.
"I've got three separate wrist mounted monitors to go with it. I'm thinking Roy, Ryan and Kate get the those three while Espo has the controller with the built-in monitor.
Some of this was Kate's idea and she was hoping that Espo would like being GOD for this, along with the toys Rick was giving him. Kate knew men loved their toys.
"I know it doesn't seem like much planning, but most plans fail when they get out into the field and encounter the enemy." Rick tells them getting a nod from Espo. "That is why we have Espo in a crane acting as GOD. He is going to tell us what is going on. Which reminds me." And Rick heads over to another box on the garage floor.
"These are the communication headsets. They are encrypted and each of us is going to need to keep the same setting or we will not get to talk to each other. The encryption will prevent anyone from listening in on us." Rick tells them, handing one to everyone.
"These are also hooked up to a wireless recorder. Everything we say and everything the mic picks up, like say Bracken's confession to murder, or anything else will also be recorded for future use.
I'm not sure about you guys, but i don't want to spend the rest of my life in prison." Rick tells them. Getting nods of agreement.
"Castle where did you get this stuff?" Ryan was beyond curious. He was a writer, wasn't he?
"That's what happens when you write Derrick Storm books and get to tour the FBI, CIA and any other letters you can think of. Plus if you are really nice you make a few friends who are willing to help you out a little.
I was going to ask the CIA for some satellite time, but thought that was going just a little too far for a favor." Rick smiles back. "Just think, real time satellite images sent to the wrist monitors. How cool would that be?" Rick had on one of his best grins hoping these three bought all this.
"Is he like this all the time?" Ryan asks looking at Kate.
"Pretty much, yea." Kate grins back.
"And you haven't shot him yet?" Espo asks her.
"You know I can hear you, right?" Rick protests. Getting Ryan and Espo to do a fist bump for getting Rick to fall for it.
"Oh you two are funny, a real riot." Rick deadpans. Even having Roy join in at his expense.
"Opinions, options, anything Kate or I missed? Something you think we should add maybe?" Rick asks them looking directly at Espo. If he was going to be GOD he might as well start acting like one.
"Can you print this area and overlay a grid? That way I don't have to say things like second 55 gallon drum on your left, or second door on the east wall from the north east corner." Espo is thinking.
Actually Rick liked it. "I'll get them printed out first thing in the morning and drop them off at the precinct. Anything else? … anyone?" Rick looks around. "Think about it, we'll adjust our thinking as needed." Rick tells them.
Rick hands over the three extra clips of ammunition to everyone who was leaving, giving them four total, and helped Espo load the Eye in the Sky into his car. "Play with this thing, get used to it. It might come in handy." Rick tells him.
After they were gone and Kate and Rick were back inside. "You think this will work?" Kate asks him.
"You sure you want to be bait? He might decide to just put a bullet in you as soon as he sees you." Rick points out nervous that she will be out in the open.
Kate nods her head. "He isn't going to come if it was just the Captain. " Kate was still unwilling to call her boss Roy. "He seems fixated on me. He has used my name often so far. If he thinks I know something, he is going to want to know what it is." Kate is convinced.
"Jill?" Rick asks.
"I promise to tell Jack everything I know at the time." Jill assures him.
"Kate you get yourself killed over this, and I WILL kill you." Rick takes her into his arms.
"And miss out on giving you that son I want you to have? Never going to happen." And Kate kisses him.
Rick went back to his laptop while Kate went upstairs to check on Alexis and get her and Sparky outside before bed.
Rick had what he wanted on a flash drive and looked up where to take it tomorrow so he could get those copies with a grid superimposed on it to give to the others.
Come morning Alexis got up on her own and took Sparky outside after turning off the alarm so her puppy could do his business.
Rick had breakfast ready, Omelets this time with ham, cheese, bacon and toast with milk and orange juice. He put out the 'Texas Petes' hot sauce out in case anyone wanted to spice theirs up a little.
Kate got her coffee to-go and her morning kiss at the door. Collected her weapon and shield and left for work.
She was usually the first one in but she got caught up in some heavy traffic on the way in so was running a little late. She found the FBI and the guys were already here.
It only took the FBI to find four other deaths all in different cities that matched the criteria of their killing locally. The poison killer was definitely a pro.
It was just a little before noon when Espo called Ryan and Kate into the break room, asking them to hurry.
Seems the local news was all about countless reporters outside a local hospital waiting for Senator Bracken to exit after his dialysis treatment.
Suddenly there was a mad rush up to the building and Bracken could be seen exiting while be blasted with questions.
"How much did you pay to have your name moved to the top of the transplant list?
Have you been contacted by the authorities about your bribe to the transplant board?
Did he know he was one of three Senators that had suddenly had renal failure?
Does this affect his campaign for the Presidency?
How did he get renal failure? Was it something in his family history?
Was there someone after the Senators for their inability to do their jobs for the American people?"
The two security guards did their best to get Bracken through the crowd of reporters and into the back seat of his town car. However even in his car he wasn't away from all of the reporters. Some had shown up on motorcycles and some had only taped it instead of live broadcast, so they managed to get back into their vans.
There was soon a large group following the town car everywhere it went. One of the local TV stations even had one of their helicopters following where the town car with Bracken inside went.
It was like watching OJ Simpson on TV inside the Bronco everywhere it went all over again.
The boys went back to their desks, however Kate just continued to stand there watching Bracken's life go straight to hell. Smiling the whole time.
"Richard, Bracken is exiting the hospital after receiving his dialysis treatment." Jack informs him.
"Just the crib notes if you please Jack." Rick asks of him.
"He is being hounded by questions. Since he is live on TV at this time it is easy to see he is being crowded by all of them.
He has made it into a town car and slowly made it away from the hospital. There are a number of reporters hot on his heels.
His driver is telling him he is unable to lose them. Some are on motorcycles and are driving on sidewalks to keep up.
Bracken is making a phone call. It is to General Wichita, my cloned phone of his is ringing." Jack tells him.
"Just let it ring Jack, let's see what he does when he is forced to help himself for a change." Rick tells him.
"Bracken has ordered the driver to take him to the United Nations building. And he is back on his phone calling for a town car to meet him at an intersection on the other side of the UN building." Jack tells him.
"He wants to lose the reporters by going thru security at the UN and out the other side to a waiting car. Not a bad plan. Jack call the TV station with the helicopter and warn them of his intentions. Let's see if the TV station can keep eyes on him, shall we." Rick asks him.
It was several minutes before Jack spoke again. "Bracken is inside the UN building. I am only now getting to someone who can control where the helicopter goes to follow Bracken.
Bracken has emerged out the other side of the UN building and is approaching his new town car. The camera on the helicopter has picked him up. They are following where the new town car takes him."
It was several minutes later. "Interesting! The car has entered a heavily concentrated area of a local gang. The car has stopped outside of a residence. Scanning, ….. the residence belongs to the right hand man of the 'Royal Javelins'. It is also the gangs headquarters or club house if you prefer.
The helicopter camera has now spotted Bracken exiting the car and being met by three kids and escorted inside.
"Bracken has just made a big mistake. That TV station is going to be all over him now. And as soon as they get it out others are going to pick up on it. And the people who will be looking into his getting him and his two senator friends at the top of the donor list is going to be interested in this too.
Jack, inform Jill. We may need to move up our time table a couple of days." Rick asks him.