B.B.U.S.A. (Buying Back the United States of America) (6 page)

The computer operator interjected. “The suspect’s ticket has several layovers. The first is in San Francisco, but he won’t even be able to disembark there as they are only stopping long enough to board new passengers. The next layover is in Denver where he will change flights. You’ll have a limited window of opportunity in Denver as he will only have forty-four minutes to disembark and board another flight at a different gate. From Denver his next layover is in Chicago. There, he will have a two-hour layover, and then his final destination is New York City.”

Bob was truly baffled by both the final destination and all the layovers. What was he up to? Where was he going? Why New York? He asked for the computer operator to print off two copies of Leo’s itinerary then turned back towards the security manager. “How quickly can you get in contact with airport security in San Francisco?”

“Pretty fast, but you know how big and busy that airport is, and they operate under the same parameters we do. They too, cannot go around detaining planes filled with people connecting to other flights across the country for anything short of a national emergency. We would, however, have ample time to make arrangements on the ground to detain the suspect during the Denver or Chicago layovers.”

Bob’s jaw started to show visible signs of his frustration as the muscles at the back of his jaw began twitching. He was mostly upset at himself. He knew how airlines operated. He should not have presented the DEA ID on the premise of apprehending a drug dealer. It was too late now to change course. He asked the nearest TSA guard to please page “Ervin White” for him and have him report to the TSA security office. Next, he turned back and addressed the helpful computer operator. “Are there any direct flights from here to Denver that will arrive prior to the suspect’s arrival time?”

The computer operator started clicking keys in haste. “Yes, sir. There is a small business commuter plane taking off in less than twenty minutes, nonstop to Denver.”

“Good! I need to get one of my men on it!” he demanded.

The computer operator looked to the head of security, who nodded, giving him the go ahead. “Sure thing, consider it done.”

Seconds later, Ervin was ushered into the increasingly crowded TSA security operating room. “Did you find him Bob?” Ervin inquired.

“Sort of. You are going after him. Please go with the TSA officers and they will get your ticket, secure your weapon, give you a copy of the suspect’s itinerary, and get you on a plane to Denver that leaves in less than twenty minutes. Get going. Call me on my cell from Denver. We might not have time to make arrangements to get him until he reaches O’Hare, but at least touch base with me as soon as you land. I’ll settle the financial costs and get in contact with the DEA in Denver. We should have this wrapped up tonight. Any questions?”

“Nope, I’m on my way.”

Bob asked the computer operator to go ahead and book Ervin on the same flight from Denver to Chicago as well, just in case he was unable to apprehend Leo in Denver. The head of security wanted to know what he should tell the TSA in Denver regarding the suspect, but Bob told him not to worry about it, as the DEA would handle it on their own. He thanked everyone for their assistance and turned to the head of security. “I’ll be sure to include your team’s cooperation and assistance in the arrest report as being instrumental in the capture of this dangerous fugitive.” He settled the costs with a swipe of a credit card and a quickly scribbled signature. The head of security seemed happy with the thought of being instrumental in Bob’s report and vigorously shook hands with him. He offered him the phone to get in contact with the DEA, but Bob declined, saying he needed to use his own secure line.

“Secure lines? You guys get all the fun stuff.”

Bob forced a smile, trying to remain mild-mannered and appreciative. “Well, yes, if that’s what you call them. Personally and off the record, it’s kind of a pain in the ass at times.” He retrieved his government credit card, thanked everyone in the office and left in a hurry to go plan Leo’s capture.

He jumped into the first available taxi and instructed the cab driver to get him to his hotel as fast as possible. The cabby seemed up to the challenge and spun his tires when leaving the terminal despite the fifteen-mile-per-hour speed limit signs.

Bob called John and Florin from the taxi and advised them to report back to the hotel and meet him in the makeshift office they had set up in the main conference room.

Bob paid the cab driver and headed straight for the conference room. He poured himself a cup of cold dark black coffee, placed it in the microwave, and set the time for one minute. While waiting for his coffee to warm he poured out the remaining sludge, rinsed out the container, and began brewing a fresh pot of coffee. He impatiently sipped the hot, thick drink while anxiously waiting for John and Florin to arrive. After nearly twenty minutes and three cups of coffee the conference room door opened and the two men entered.

John spoke first, “Did you locate him? There was no sign of him at the bus station.”

“Yes, well, sort of.” Bob explained what took place at the airport. “The only problem is that Ervin has not called yet. So, thus far, nothing has been arranged for the Denver layover. Of course every minute that transpires is to Leo’s favor, not ours.”

John offered to call the Denver TSA to have Leo detained, but Bob felt that involving the local security would just further complicate things. “Remember, our plan is to remove him quickly and quietly, without drawing any unnecessary attention to us or the B.B.U.S.A.”

Another half hour passed. John and Bob nearly consumed the entire pot of coffee. Florin called for room service to deliver three lunch specials and a large orange juice to the conference room. As room service arrived with their lunch the phone finally rang.

“Hi, I’m in Denver. I was so exhausted on the flight that I conked out right after takeoff and did not stir till we lit. Our flight was delayed on the tarmac, and as is, I only have about 15 minutes to make it from this gate to the other one. I’m sure I won’t be able to get to Leo till Chicago.”

“Well, I guess you can’t control everything.” Bob said disappointedly. “You best be on your way and see if you can switch seats so you are able to observe Leo and perhaps listen in on any conversations he might have prior to arresting him in O’Hare. Since I didn’t hear from you I had nothing arranged as far as back up goes in Denver anyway. I’ll have three organization guys meet you at the gate in O’Hare. The four of you can take him into custody as discretely as possible once on the ground. Try not to involve airport security if you can help it. If you have to flash ID, please use DEA to be consistent with what I used this morning, okay?”

“No problem. Good idea! I’ll get close enough to listen discreetly to any conversations he might have. I’ll keep you abreast of what I find out. Thanks for sending me on this one. I appreciate your confidence in me. I won’t let you down.”

“You’re welcome, but play it smart and don’t underestimate him. Call me from Chicago when you have him in custody for instructions on how to dispose of him without anyone finding out. I have some ideas floating around in my head right now, but we have to make sure that his demise does not look suspicious in any way or can be traced back to us. Okay, you have a plane to catch, get going!”

“Well boys, let’s finish lunch, and make a couple of calls to the mid-west district, then retire for some sleep.”

After lunch Bob dismissed Florin and John, and made the necessary calls himself. He figured that he would enjoy at least four hours of sleep before hearing from Ervin with the good news that Leo was in custody and at a safe house. He locked the two front conference room doors and entered his adjoining room heading straight for the king sized bed. He placed his 9mm pistol and holster as well as his cell phone on the night stand next to the bed. He kicked off his shoes and crawled under the covers hoping that the coffee he just consumed would not keep him awake.

Ervin was proud to be Bob’s right hand man. He felt even more important than he had when working for the CIA. Now, he was still serving his beloved country in an important undercover operation that allowed him to be whatever agency he desired at the time. Both Bob and he had been issued several legitimate ID’s, though they rarely used them. He could be virtually any agency. He could appear and disappear without a trace. Other than Bob, he truly answered to no one. Ervin didn’t fully understand how they got paid or how Bob always had the cash to pay them, but that really did not matter much. He was well paid and Bob was as reliable as the rising or setting sun.

He knew that he was a valued asset to the B.B.U.S.A. and a very important part of the team, truly Bob’s right hand man. He was proud that he would soon be the one to make the final arrest. Making it through the crowd to the gate with five minutes to spare, he darted into the restroom, partly hoping to find Leo standing alone at a urinal. After a quick glance inside the busy restroom he relieved himself, washed his hands, and then ran for the boarding area.

He made his way to his seat, eyeing the passengers, desperately trying to identify Leo without being noticed himself. He sat down in his assigned seat without having seen Leo, and then rummaged through his coat pocket to find the copy of Leo’s itinerary that the TSA agents had given him. To Ervin the circumstances of the day felt surreal, as if time was playing tricks on him. He only had a couple of hours of sleep on the plane heading to Denver. He was feeling slightly lethargic and his brain was not functioning as sharp as it should be. He looked at the itinerary for a second time, forcing his eyes to focus on the tiny lettering. He finally found what he was looking for: Leo’s seat number for the flight from Denver to Chicago. Once they were in the air he would make his way to the bathroom and attempt to find a seat closer to Leo.

Ervin connected his lap belt and stretched his injured leg. He sat still, almost in a trance while massaging the sore spot where Leo had kicked him. His mind began to wander. Perhaps he would be able to follow Leo directly to a bathroom after the flight. He reasoned that most people went to the nearest bathroom after being cooped up on a flight for hours. Once there, he might be able to get a clean hit on him. If he caught him in the restroom, he might be able to kill him, rob him, and leave his body slumped in a stall. It would look just like another mugging. If he could show Bob how well he could handle himself with solo assignments, perhaps someday he too would be made head of a district.

Ervin laid his head back on the seat, while one hand kept massaging his injured leg as he patiently waited for takeoff. A slight smile tugged at the edge of his mouth as he began planning how he would kill Leo in the bathroom stall.

Sarah had been extremely busy since Leo had left, on his business trip to the west coast, three days earlier. She had already made all the necessary arrangements for a long vacation. Natasha, the current office manager, would be the acting broker in Sarah’s place. Sarah told Natasha that they were flying to Texas to visit her father for a while, and then might end up meeting Leo in Mexico for a much-needed vacation. Natasha sensed that she wanted to tell her more but did not press the issue.

Natasha was a beautiful young woman with a double major in both business and finance, plus she had her own Broker’s License. She was extremely capable, and had become a valuable asset to Leo and Sarah’s business. Natasha enjoyed running the business, and looked forward to receiving the customary 10% of all profits.

Sarah had packed, and arranged their travel itinerary, while always keeping a close eye on her sons. As both boys had grown considerably since their last trip and Traykie, for one, no longer resembled the child in the picture on his passport, it was time to get new pictures. After completing her to do list, they returned home.

She also called the travel agency, confirmed their flights, and paid via her debit card. Once finished she printed the E-tickets and placed them in her purse. Other than steadying her nerves and running by the bank and the real estate office one last time, she would be prepared for the upcoming adventure.

She was concerned about Leo’s safety. She knew they had agreed he would not call her until she reached her father’s home in Austin. He was afraid that their phone lines might be tapped. She missed him and half hoped he would call anyway. She desperately wanted to hear his voice and have him reassure her that everything was going to be fine. She hated the waiting game.

Earlier in their marriage, while the boys were very young and before the real estate business was profitable, Leo had joined a Type II Wildland Firefighting Crew. He was naturally in good shape for the arduous demands of the fire crew, but Sarah hated waiting for the intermittent phone calls to let her know that he was still all right.

He ended up fighting fires for five seasons with Blue Goose III. The money was good and Leo thrived on the challenges but also hated being apart from his wife and sons. Each time he was called out he was practically guaranteed to be out for sixteen days. They always had a travel day to the fire which was typically out of the state, then fourteen days of back-breaking work and a day’s travel home.

Some summers he would merely be home for two or three days and then be called out again. He was always gone June, July, August, and usually most of September. The physical demands of the job did affect his body, making many everyday tasks more strenuous than they once had been, but he just accepted it as part of the job. However, as the boys got bigger and wanted to tumble and rough house and ride on Leo’s back, he realized that the demands of firefighting were beginning to interfere with his love for his family. He did not want to spend another summer away from them.