A Guardian of Innocents (30 page)

But I had a new respect (or perhaps it was wariness) for him after reading his entire book. Louis Godwin had put this poor bastard through hell and had insisted he was doing so all in the name of friendship.

No, son, I ain’t pissin’ down your back. This here’s a fine Merlot. Never mind that it’s warm. You should feel blessed, my boy.

Until this point in time I’d had almost no concept of what kind of monster I was preparing to take on. Who’d have thought that a teenage boy whose favorite hobby was dabbling in witchcraft and dressing goth would end up controlling one of the largest illegal pornography rings in the world. We were going up against a man who’s probably lost count of the men, women and children he’s killed or had killed. Even some of the highest ranking members of the various world mafias were scared to deal with him due to his reputation.

When a Cuban mafia leader in Florida got pissed off at Godwin, he’d made the dire mistake of putting a price on Louis’ head. The very next day that man and every single member of his family were systematically exterminated. They all died in different ways, but they were all just as dead, even the ones still living in the homeland. Louis had wiped out everyone in the immediate family within an hour and had moved on to the aunts, uncles and cousins. He even got to the second cousins. In all, there were over a hundred Cubans put to death that day.

Giovanni Riletti, a guido mob boss out of Brooklyn, commonly referred to Louis as the Devil’s Man. But most knew Louis by the nickname Aaron had given him in their youth, Creeper.

*          *          *

We finally made it into Texas. Only thirty minutes after crossing the Red River, Aaron’s cell phone rang. He retrieved it from a small alcove in the dash and said hello.

“You’re at DFW? We’re probably still another hour and a half away... Sherman, on 75... Hey, it’s not my fault you’re early... Alright, where’s the hotel? Highway 183 and Esters? Okay, we’ll meet you there... What? God, you’re kidding me... Alright. Okay. Bye.”

“So what’s up?” I asked.

“Dad saw an image of Louis and Tessa at the airport. Said they were holding hands, walking through there like father and daughter. And her face was bloody and swollen like she’d been beaten, but they were both smiling and prancing about like they were reenacting a scene from The Sound of Music.”

“You think it was really her?”

He shook his head, “No. A dancing girl with a bloody face would attract a lot of attention in an airport. Louis is just messing with his head. He’s been doing this kind of crap to him for years. I’m sure that image was sent to my dad only.”

“Yeah, he can do that if he wants to,” I said.

We met a still distraught Special Agent Collins at a hotel room in Irving, not very far from the airport. He had a detailed map of a particular section of Dallas unfolded on the room’s small octagonal dining table and stood over it like a general plotting out the next phase of his war campaign.

“I wish we could have more men involved,” he said, never removing his eyes from the map, “I’d have snipers on every roof and—“ he sighed, “Never mind. Better to focus on the task at hand and the resources we have available. Okay, Phil... Or do you prefer to be called Jeshua?”

“Doesn’t matter,” I answered, “Hey, your name’s Richard. Do you prefer Dick or Rick?”

I was actually being serious, but he glared at me as though I was trying to be a smartass. Ignoring my question, he continued. “Alright, the address Godwin gave is to this old bread factory here,” he said, pointing to a large building in the center of the map, “I did some digging and this factory was operational until just a few weeks ago when the company decided to close it in an effort to reduce their overhead. The company that owns this place hasn’t yet sold the property, so right now, it’s completely abandoned, or should be.”

“Sounds like a place Louis would choose,” Aaron commented, “The electricity’s probably been cut off by now, so if we do this at night like he
wants
, it’ll give him an advantage. We’ll need flashlights.”

“Do you think it’s possible he has her there now? What if we stopped by tonight, a day early, and picked off whatever thugs he has guarding her?” I suggested.

“I strongly doubt Louis has her anywhere near that building tonight,” Agent Collins stated, “He’ll probably drive her in from someplace not too far away... Did Godwin say anything to you about exactly where we’re supposed to meet? Inside, outside? A particular room maybe?”

I shook my head, “No. Just the address.”

Not very long after, Aaron and his father started bickering. At first, it was over things of actual consequence. How early should we show up? What should we bring? Agent Collins was convinced we should have walkie-talkies and didn’t want to listen to his son’s insistence that they would do us no good. I had to back Aaron up on that one, explaining what had happened with my television set.

After twenty or so minutes, my head began to ache from their incessant arguing. And since they were both non-smokers, I decided to take the elevator to the ground floor to have a smoke. As I was walking away from the lobby into the parking lot, I spotted Aaron’s silver BMW parked a few rows back, away from the small herd of vehicles belonging to the other hotel guests.

After a few puffs, I saw something small and white stuck to Aaron’s almost obsidian  windshield. It couldn’t have been any bigger than a deck of playing cards. As I walked closer, my stomach began to drop. I already knew what it was.

A white piece of paper was tucked securely beneath the driver’s side windshield wiper. The first logical thought I had was maybe Aaron had received a parking ticket (though for what I couldn’t imagine) or that maybe it was a flyer, advertising a new restaurant.

Knowing exactly who this note was from, I snatched it out from beneath the Beemer’s wiper blade and unfolded it.

Dearest friends,

When you arrive, drive around back. You’ll see three large bay doors. To the right of these doors you’ll see a regular door where the Shipping & Receiving employees used to enter. It will be unlocked. You may disregard the security cameras around the property since there is no longer any electricity to power them.

We’ll see you soon.

There was no signature, not that one was necessary. I finished my smoke and headed back to the room. The two of them were still squawking. I wondered if they’d even noticed I’d ever left.

“Hey guys,” I raised my voice to override their discord. I waved the paper at them, “There’s something ya’ll need to know.”

Aaron turned his head to look at me and stated, “There’s also something that
you
should know. Although, my dad feels differently.”

“What?” I asked. Uneasiness began to jump around in my gut.

Aaron turned his head back and locked eyes with his father. Agent Collins glanced down at the table, apparently defeated, then stated, “I found out yesterday that Godwin has funneled money to different Middle-Eastern terrorist organizations, and yes, one of them was al Qaeda. In fact, they received the largest donation so far: 8.2 million dollars.”

I sat down on the edge of the bed, only distantly hearing the crunch of the paper as my fists clenched themselves. I let it drop to the floor and wiped my face with my dry hands a few times as I only do when I’ve reached the pinnacle of rage and have no one and nothing to take it out on.

“That’s how he knew,” I whispered.

Richard, not even paying attention to my words, squatted down in front of me as though I was an upset child and said, “I doubt it matters much to you now, Phil, but you need to know this. If we all make it through tomorrow alive, this could turn out bad for you. The FBI knows now that Godwin is connected to
al Qaeda
. And I’m sure by now someone there has already remembered that Milton was connected to Godwin. Do you know what that means?

“What I’m trying to say is that I can’t guarantee your protection anymore. They’re going to have their best men on this. People with minds a lot sharper and more educated than mine.”

“So what you’re saying,” I continued for him, “Is that others are now sniffing down the same paths you did, and if
you
found me, whose to say
the
y won’t?”

“Right.” Agent Collins nodded his head, his dimpled chin seemed to bob up and down as he swallowed and forced himself to say what Aaron had wanted him to say all along, “So since I can no longer guarantee that I can hold up my end of the bargain, I don’t expect you to do so either. If you choose not to go with us tomorrow, I won’t blame you. And I’ll thank you for helping us as much as you have, and I’ll make sure you get back home okay.”

“Are you kidding?” I asked, feeling rather irked that he kept thinking so little of me. “I didn’t come down here to collect a get-out-of-jail-free card. I did it to help your daughter, the one child I couldn’t save that night. It’s the only real goal in life I’ve wanted to achieve since then. With every day that’s passed in the last four years, I’ve thought about her at least once or twice, sometimes more. The only thing you’ve done, Dick, is make me want to kill Godwin that much more. All he had to do was tell me, and I could’ve kept Des from going to work that day.”

“What!” Collins snapped, “He knew about the attacks? You mean he knew about it beforehand?”

“Yeah. He appeared to me the night before. He wouldn’t tell me anything except the world had to undergo some
painful changes
. By the way...”

I picked the wrinkled sheet of paper off the floor and handed it to him, “I think you guys should read this.”     

Chapter 15

As previously agreed upon, we showed up at the factory early. At 10:30, Aaron was pulling the Beemer around the back of the factory as the note had instructed. I broadscanned the area as Aaron and his father surveyed the place with critical eyes. I sensed no one inside the factory.

Ominous storm clouds threatened rain with their low rumbling, giving the entire plant a kind of haunted castle look as we approached in the overcast night.

Aaron parked next to the concrete ramp that led up to the bay doors. Agent Collins looked to me as we got out and asked, “You feel anything?”

“No, not a—“ I began, but then I heard it. Like the soft whisper of a bee zipping about a few yards away.

bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Aaron opened the trunk of his car and began ripping up the interior carpet. It seemed the fabric was designed to look permanently attached, yet was fastened on by nothing but Velcro. Underneath was a small cache of weapons. I felt like I
should
be surprised, yet wasn’t.

He threw a shotgun to his father and handed me a 9mm pistol. The AK-47 he kept for himself, ducking his head under the leather shoulder strap, holding it like a damn guitar.

“What is it? Whudduyuh feel?” his father prodded again, indicating both of us.

“It’s strange,” I replied, “Tessa’s definitely here, at least I’m pretty sure she is. But I can’t communicate with her. It’s like I’m picking up interference.” 

“Louis isn’t letting her speak to you, or not letting you hear her. One of the two,” Aaron said.

“What about Godwin? Is he here?”

“I couldn’t tell you for sure either way, but whenever he’s appeared to me in person, in the flesh, I’ve felt a really low buzzing noise in my head. Never really noticed it until now. I think it’s probably what he uses to keep me from hearing his thoughts. And I think I’m picking up that buzz again now, but it’s real faint.”

“No one else? Any hired help?”

I shook my head no, and that seemed to satisfy him. Not one of us thought it unusual that Godwin would have the confidence to face the three of us alone; and why wouldn’t he?

We found the unlocked employees’ entrance door and entered into a small office lobby. Agent Collins clicked on his flashlight and let it glide over the walls and floor as he scrutinized the place. The office had been picked clean of all desks, cabinets and supplies. Metal electrical outlet boxes jutted from the floor like rectangular speed bumps.

We walked further inside, each of us deathly quiet. The level of tension we were undergoing was a given, but there was still an uneasiness about this office. Something bad had happened here. I looked towards Aaron and listened to his heavy breathing.

If he was clairvoyant, I knew he must be feeling this far worse than me.

“You okay?” his father asked him.

“Yes. Don’t acknowledge them. Just keep moving.”

What the fuck?

Taking extra care to be gentle and unobtrusive, I perused his thoughts and discovered he was surrounded by ghosts, victims of a disgruntled (and heavily armed) employee who’d burst into the office the next morning after he’d been fired. They were all begging Aaron to help them find a way out of here.

Aaron fast-walked to the door leading into the factory and opened it, not even bothering to wait for us. His father and I caught up with him. His eyes were wild.

“What the hell is it?” Richard asked.

Aaron shook his head from side to side as if trying to snap himself out of a trance. “Nothing,” he replied, “Just Louis’ little inside joke. I know exactly why he picked this place. It’s the one way he can fuck with me.”