Double-Back (Jake Waters Book 3) (23 page)

Tuesday Morning, May 17

"You knew about this for a couple of days?" Susan asked incredulously.

Jake and Tony had let her make her report about what she had learned from the visit to East Coast Pharmaceuticals after linking Natalie to the company where Anne worked.  Jake had wanted to be certain that nothing changed in her report.  If he was correct that no additional Back-Tracking had been conducted by the other side, Susan, who hadn't known about their change in agenda, should make the identical report.  Much to his relief that had been the case.  After she was done, he informed her that Jeff had not, and would not disappear just yet.  That had led to a complete summary of what they had been doing.

"You gave us this same report the last time I looped through today," Jake explained.  "We went off to check on Jeff Rineri, and when we found him obviously present, with a 'girlfriend' he had picked up the night before we got to thinking what might be the reason.  Why would they leave him exposed?  They had clearly disappeared well before you showed up at the drug company.  Because we'd both been watching him, and therefore would both have been seen by anyone they had put in place, I looped back so we could do everything differently.  We couldn't inform you without risking significant disturbances in the timeline.  We discovered that people were indeed watching for us."

"And they know that Bob Trask was in New York," Susan complained.  "We were trying to keep your presence as hidden as possible."

"We need something to draw out their Back-Tracker," Jake disagreed.  "If they have any suspicions that Trask is the guy, then they might make a play for him."

"And if you get killed, then where are we?" Norm asked.

"When we go back, it'll be Tony made up to look like me who will be exposed," Jake explained.  "If anything happens, I'll be able to unravel it.  They have only seen one person up to now."

"You
hope
they have only seen one of you," Susan said.

"Susan, are you doubting my ability now?" Tony asked.

"I suppose not," she agreed.  She was aware how capable the covert agent was.

"You said go back?" Jim Laney asked.  "Where are you now?"

"We are here in Washington," Jake replied.  "There were a few things we needed, and we want to bring you back to help with this."

Jake explained what he had in mind. 

"You believe having followed you part way back to Washington, and seeing you and Jim heading north together, they will more readily accept the fact it is you who is watching Rineri," Susan said.

"Not to mention we'll have another gun to help out if needed," Tony added.

"How do you want to work this?" Susan said finally, resigned to Jake's plan.

"Jim and I will leave from Headquarters this afternoon.  I'll have to sneak in, but that shouldn't be hard to do unobserved.  We'll go in his car, and I'm certain we'll be tailed.  Tony will wait a mile or so away along the route we plan on taking.  He'll be able to spot a tail, which will confirm they are paying close attention to what we are doing.  If we are tailed, as expected, we will be able to lose him somewhere along the way, but by then he will have confirmed the two of us are heading back to New York.  That will be their clue to set whatever plan they have in motion."

"So Tony and I have our asses exposed," Jim said.  He was thinking how Clarissa would react when she learned of his agreeing to something like this.  "How are you going to know who their Back-Tracker is?  Unless you can disable and kill him immediately, once they realize it's a trap, they will loop back, and the whole thing is a bust."

"I'm not exactly certain," Jake admitted.  "My guess is it is the Paul Marin character, but it could be the sister.  I'm almost certain it's one of the two, and I'm hoping something in their approach will make it clearer who.  Any question, I will have to be ready to loop back immediately so we can have another try at it, or perhaps abort the whole thing."

"It seems like a long shot to me," Norm protested.  "Too much can go wrong, and they will be alerted that we are onto them."

"They already know we are aware the three of them are involved in the attacks, and that they have a Back-Tracker.  I don't think we risk giving much away, and while the chances are fifty-fifty or less, we might just get lucky for a change."

"Jim?" Susan asked.  "You are the one he's asking to be a target."

Jim shrugged.  "I don't like the idea, but it won't be the first time, and Tony has already volunteered.  He's likely to be the primary target, so I'll at least get a warning and might be able to find cover when they shoot him."

"I'd feel better about this if Jake were to be hiding somewhere well away from the action.  That would ensure he could correct any problems."

"I need to be close.  I'm most likely to spot my counterpart, and I'll be providing cover for Jim and Tony."

"Are you certain you can quickly disable this Back-Tracker?" Norm asked.

"We are taking some things that could do it, if we can get close enough.  In truth, I believe we will have to shoot whoever it is.  Maybe not kill, but disable to the point they can't Back-Track."

"I'd rather you just kill the bastard," Jim said in an uncharacteristic bit of animosity.

"Put it in action," Susan said finally, "but I reserve the right to call you any time up until the morning to cancel all this.  Maybe we'll learn something that will make it unnecessary."

It was a few minutes after four in the afternoon when Jim and Jake drove out of the Headquarters parking lot.  Jim was at the wheel, and Jake was riding shotgun.

"You're very lucky Clarissa is out of town," Jim said.  "She would not have good thoughts toward you if she knew what we are planning on doing."

"Karin's going to have some unkind things to say when she learns as well," Jake admitted.

It seemed to Jake it had been a very long time since he'd seen his wife and daughter, but he consoled himself with the realization it wouldn't have seemed quite so long to them.  They would not have been aware of the loops he had made, and therefore would not have counted as many effective days.  Even so, he'd have to send a note via their secret web site soon and hope the end of this mess wouldn't be too much farther in the future.

"You have a tail as expected," Tony's voice warned Jake over the radio as they drove out of the city.  Jake had the phone on a headset so he could speak without holding the unit to his face which would reveal he was communicating with someone.  He told Jim what he'd just been told.

"Did he tell you what to look for?" Jim asked, his eyes scanning all of the mirrors.

"No, and we shouldn't look.  We are to be blindly ignorant of any followers.  We let Tony be our eyes.  We don't want to give away the fact we know about them."

"I didn't even spot Tony along the way," Jim said, "and I know what he is driving.  How are we going to work this?"

"We'll see how far this guy intends to follow us," Jake said.  "Maybe he'll simply verify we are headed back toward New York and drop away.  If he plans to follow us all the way, Tony will get rid of him without it being obvious we have help."

Jim nodded and settled in to driving.

"You seem to be pretty confident that Rineri and his friends are going to make a move on you soon.  Why do you think they are in such a hurry?"

"For one thing, they will probably want to act before I bring in even more help.  They will be, or perhaps are already aware I'm bringing you to New York.  They'll have to worry if I might request even more manpower.  Therefore it behooves them to make their move before that happens."

"Maybe they'll make a move against Susan?" Jim wondered worriedly.

"Norm will watch Susan, but I believe they won't make any more attempts against her until they are certain our Back-Tracker can't undo their efforts.  But back to why they might act quickly.  I can't be positive, but I'm of the opinion their Back-Tracker doesn't have the ability or knowledge to make long jumps backward.  I could only do a week comfortably for many years, and only later learned to extend the range.  If I assume their person is the same, or perhaps even more limited, that would drive their planning.  When you and Susan showed up at the Pharmaceutical Company that put them on the spot.  It's likely they want to deal with our group before that happens, in order to keep the information about Natalie from spreading too widely."

"You are saying they want to kill you, then go back and clean up earlier?  That would mean you'd be alive?"

"They need to know who our Back-Tracker is before they can hope to have any success.  Possibly they are willing to accept that Natalie's secret is now exposed and she has to flee, and killing me off is sufficient, but I think their intent is to be certain who their problem is, then loop back, nail me when I don't expect it back then, and then take out you and Susan before you discover the link to the company where Natalie works."

"Why do you think they are so focused on you?"

"They kidnapped you, and we believe their Back-Tracker has memories of that event.  That suggests you aren't the one with the ability, or you wouldn't have allowed things to go on as long as they did, if only because Clarissa was exposed.  That eliminates you in their mind.  They planned attempts on Susan, but they all seemed to be discovered in advance.  Given they know about a Back-Tracker on our side, they have almost certainly decided they were successful, but the events were unraveled.  Since one attempt was to shoot Susan, they have probably concluded she isn't the one with the ability to Back-Track either.  Norm was far away for much of the early activity, making him an unlikely candidate.  Then there is the consultant Trask, who Susan uses for special cases and who just happened to be around when their plans were being interrupted.  The odds are good that I might be their man."

"So, when do you expect this to go down?"

"I'd guess tomorrow.  They will know tonight I'm back in New York, and that I have help.  I wouldn't be surprised if they already had a plan in place, and they've had an extra day to work out details.  They'll assume we will pick up Jeff Rineri in the morning, and he'll probably lead us to wherever they want to make their move."

"Wonderful," Jim replied uncomfortably.

"He's still with you," Tony said, interrupting their conversation.  "There is only the one vehicle.  I believe they are a little overconfident to tail with a single car, but that appears to be the case.  They have to be convinced you are completely unaware of their plans."

"When do you want to get rid of him?" Jake asked.

"I'm going to speed up and get ahead of you.  I'll find a location, and let you know what I want you to do.  By being ahead, this guy won't be suspicious of my car."

"Copy," Jake replied.

A few minutes later Jake spotted the dark SUV that Tony was driving move past them in the fast lane, moving easily with the flow of traffic.  Tony continued on without a glance their way, and in a few minutes was well ahead.  In ten minutes he was out of sight.  It was forty-five minutes later when he called back again.

"There's a large gas station five minutes or so ahead of you.  Stop and fill up.  Your tail will have to do the same, or at least pull off the highway and watch what you do.  That will give me a chance to plant my device.  The station is far enough off the highway he'll have to park nearby."

Jake relayed to Jim what Tony had directed, and soon they were making their exit.  Four other cars turned off as well, and they couldn't be certain which, if any might be their shadow.  Jim drove into the station and up to the pumps, jumping out to fill up the vehicle, while Jake stayed in the car so he could listen for any radio traffic from Tony.  He had spotted Tony's truck in the cluster of pumps on the other side of the station, but hadn't spotted Tony.

Tony was actually well behind them, waiting in the dark where he thought he would have the best chance at the car that was following the two FBI agents.  He spotted them as they drove up, along with the tailing car which pulled into a dark area a hundred yards short of the station.  Sitting with the lights off in a darkened shadow, the dark blue vehicle was all but invisible.

Tony moved stealthily forward, watching the driver who was intent on the two men getting gas.  The driver was watching Jim through a pair of binoculars as Jim filled the car, and never heard as Tony slipped up close to the right rear and installed the special device on his rear tire.  It would have been simple enough to simply blow the tire, but that would have alerted their tail, and therefore those in New York that Jake was aware he was being followed.  The device Tony was installing was something his agency had developed for just this kind of situation.  It would stay in place until triggered, at which time a large nail would be shot into the tire and the rest of the mechanism jettisoned.  The tire would go flat, and when the tire was examined, there would be no way to tell it hadn't simply picked up the nail along the way.  Tony was certain the driver would believe the side stop off the highway was where he'd picked up the nail.  Having made certain the tires weren't a variant of the run-flat types that were becoming more common, he made a final check of his installation, and then faded into the darkness.

Jake noticed Tony stepping out of the station and climbing into his vehicle and driving away.  A minute later Tony's voice came through the earbud.