The Damascus Chronicles (15 page)

A man with blonde hair, wearing dark glasses, a black coat and red tie, came into the bar. “Give me a beer,” the man addressed the bartender. The man looked over and saw Michael sitting in sorrow. “It’s a sad sight to see a man depressed in a dismal place like this,” said the man.

Annoyed by the stranger, he raised his head. “What’s it to you?”

“Nothing. I just hate to see an old friend feeling down.”

“Old friend? I don’t even know you,” said Michael.

“Sure you do. Don’t you recognize me? It’s me, Rodney, Rodney Phillips. Remember Unit 1024 CIA?” Rodney removed his glasses.

Michael’s face brightened as he remembered. “Rodney! Oh Rodney I can’t believe it, it’s good to see you,” Michael said as he hugged his old friend.

“It’s good to see you too. It’s been two years,” said Phillips. “I thought you were dead after the last mission we were on.”

“I was lucky; after I was in the hospital for a year the doctors were able to get me to recover fully.”

“I’m sorry about your sister’s death. At the bureau they told me what happened.”

“What are you doing out here?” asked Michael. “I’ve been on a case here for the last few months. We’ve been trying to locate some terrorists who are in hiding. I’ve been taking a few days off; the job has been stressful on me. You look pale yourself, are you feeling ill?” asked Phillips.

“I’ve been a little under the weather lately,” Michael admitted.

“Remember how we used to come here before we got started?” Phillips reminisced.

“Yeah I do – this was our favorite hangout,” answered Michael.

“What have you been doing here in Vegas?” asked Phillips.

“After I quit the service, I decided to start over in Vegas. My father and younger brother moved out here but I don’t see them. Anyway, I couldn’t stay in the CIA after seeing Katrina’s murder on the Strozzinburg mission.”

“So what’ve you been doing back here all this time?”

“I opened up a night club on some veteran grant money I received from the government.”

“You mean that new one on the Strip that just opened a few weeks ago, the Black Spider in Old Vegas?” asked Phillips.

“That’s the one.”

“Then how come you’re back here again at this old hole?”

“I just needed a place to think. Life has been difficult for me. Ever since Katrina died, all I ever do now is find ways to keep myself busy, to not dwell on the pain,” said Michael.

“Maybe you could help me catch these terrorist bastards.”

“I think I’ll pass.”

“The bureau will pay you well. You were the best assassin we ever had. Think of it as showing patriotism to your country again, I know you’ve always valued that.”

Michael sat for a minute and thought. “Very well, but I would do this favor for you as an old friend and nothing more. No payment will be necessary. It’ll make me feel alive again to nail some scum and save some lives.” Michael felt obligated to redeem himself for killing an innocent man.

“Good I’ll inform the team that you and I will be working together. Why don’t you join me for dinner tonight at Tommy’s restaurant? It might cheer you up a bit,” offered Phillips.

The two headed off in Phillips car to Tommy’s for dinner. Tommy Santerini came over to the two of them. Tommy was a young man of the age of 26, good looking, smart and always well mannered. He was also the head chef of his establishment, where he was always dressed in a culinary uniform and filled with delight. “Bon appetite gentleman, such a fine duo to dine at my humble abode,” Tommy joked.

Phillips answered with a grin. “Please don’t flatter yourself Tommy, thanks,” he said.

“You two have always been good customers in the past, it’s on the house tonight, I got beautiful steaks for you both and some ziti,” said Tommy.

The duo conversed while being served the ziti with steamed vegetables and fat, juicy T-bone steaks. “How have you been since Katrina died?” asked Michael.

“It’s been hard me for as well. She didn’t tell you that we were engaged just before the Strozzinburg mission?” said Phillips.

“No, she told me nothing. Anyway, have you found anyone new?” asked Michael.

“No, not since then, what about you?”

“I’ve been seeing someone new. Her name is Serena, and she’s been the best thing that’s happened to me. Although I have been having nightmares lately.”

“What about Isabelle?”

“We split after Katrina died, things were not going well,” replied Michael.

“Too bad, I thought you two made a good couple,” said Phillips.

“Things change Rodney.”

The two talked long into the night. As Phillips was dropping Michael off on the Strip, he received a call on his phone. He called Michael back over to the car and said “Meet me at the Lagoon Lounge tomorrow at 8 pm. The Director of CIA Affairs just called me. Our mission will begin tomorrow night.”

Before Michael arrived home at midnight he vomited up the food he‘d eaten for dinner killing a stray dog for its life force. Most human food is poisonous to vampires but he was sorry to get rid of the fine meal he’d eaten with Phillips.

Serena opened the door, hugging and kissing him. “I’ve been very worried about you ever since what happened a few days ago,” said Serena.

“Things are better now. I’m going to make it all right,” said Michael.

”But how?” asked a worried Serena.

“I have a job set up tomorrow. An old friend from the bureau needs my help.”

“I don’t like it. I feel that something bad will happen,” said Serena, not liking this plan of action.

“I have to do this baby. If I can help save some innocent lives then I can make up my debt for killing that cop; it will make me feel better, and maybe there’ll be no more bad dreams.”

“We take lives, like I said before.”

“Even though I kill for hire, I would prefer to kill a scumbag than an innocent man. Call it a sense of twisted honor,” said Michael.

“You’re a vampire now darling, face it – you’re a killer,” said Serena.

“That doesn’t mean that I don’t have a choice. I do, and I want to redeem what little of a soul I have left,” said Michael.

Serena looked at him sadly and kissed him. “Hold me tight please,” she asked.

“What?” Michael asked as she embraced him and placed her head on his heart. Tears began to run down her face.

“I just don’t want to lose you Michael. I love you so much, you know that, don’t you?” said Serena.

“I know you do, but I have to do this. I promise to be careful.” Serena hugged him tightly; they began to kiss and then made love in the dark night.

The call later that night came from Phillips as Michael waited in his pad.

Michael arrived at the Lagoon Lounge the next night at 8 pm. In a corner of the room he saw Phillips and a group of ten men talking and he walked over to them in the dimly lit room.

“Damascus, get over here,” said the man Michael presumed to be the team leader.

“Welcome to the team. Now enough chit chat, let’s get to business; a band of Al-Qaeda terrorist have been spotted at the Montgomery Casino. Undercover personnel spotted five of our suspects last night setting up a bomb in the basement. It seems their intent is to demolish the place after robbing it to fund their terror cells. Our orders are to locate that bomb, dismantle it, and capture or kill these mad men,” said Phillips.

“When do we leave?” asked Michael. “Immediately.”

Speeding off in Phillips’ cleaning van, the team changed into cleaning uniforms for undercover duty. After being cleared for admittance into the Montgomery’s basement, Michael spotted the terrorists on the lower level.

Signaled by Phillips, the team quietly surrounded the terrorists in an attempt to corner them around the large generators and security computer system.

“Now!” yelled the team leader. The men drew their guns on the terrorists.

“Drop the guns, you’re under arrest!” Phillips yelled.

The terrorists retaliated by blowing up a small gas propane tank. The explosion killed two of the anti-terrorist team, blowing them to bits.

“Drop them!” yelled Phillips as he and Michael fired, unloading bullets from their M16 machine guns. Two of the terrorist’s heads exploded and brains flew all over the concrete floor.

“Long live Jihad!” screamed one of the terrorists as he attempted to become a suicide bomber, pulling a pin off a hand grenade. Michael flipped off the ceiling and kicked the grenade out of the crazed terrorist’s hand, causing the grenade to explode in mid-air. Michael knocked out the terrorist; another terrorist was getting ready to shoot Michael in the back with his AK47. Phillips spotted the terrorist about to shoot Michael and shot him in the head, saving Michael’s life. The team leader had managed to teargas the escaping terrorists; the team put them in handcuffs and then marched them outside to an armored prison truck. The media outside the casino reported the story. In the background, Michael turned to Phillips. “Thanks for saving me,” said Michael.

“What are old friends for?” said Phillips, “And we won’t forget how you helped us out tonight.” “No problem, keep in touch,” said Michael as he caught a cab to head home for the night.

On the way home, Michael felt he had redeemed himself for Watson’s death and he was at peace, for now.

Just at that moment, in the Santerini’s business district, Sonny Scarfo and Albert Scarfo sat in a gray car holding two detonators; they had rigged the entire block to blow, disregarding the innocent people that were in these buildings. As they flicked the switches, the entire block was blown up, killing all who were in the way of this firestorm. Massive fireballs fell to the ground, side effects of the multiple explosions that had occurred. The two snakes took off, laughing wickedly to report their boss. From his new penthouse rooftop Frank Scarfo looked over to the burning Santerini district; he held a glass of wine in his hand to celebrate his success. “Bye bye Felice, your time has ended old man. This town is mine now,” said Franco Scarfo.

Jackie, Sal, Anthony, and Paulie took in the destruction from the Terrace Tower. They were in shock.

“Oh God, those innocent people.” Paulie clenched his hands to his mouth.

“Frank Scarfo!” screamed Anthony in rage.

“That fucking murdering cocksucker ordered this hit,” said Paulie.

“All those innocent lives, not to mention that we all had family who worked in that district, all dead!” Don Felice swore.

“I say let’s kill the fucker right now!” said Jackie in hateful rage.

“It had to be Frank Scarfo. Godfather Giorgio would never allow innocent people to be whacked,” said Don Felice angrily. “Call a meeting immediately. Get Michael and Serena here. We all have to resolve this now!”

Paulie called Michael immediately. Michael had just gotten in the door of his apartment when the phone rang. Serena answered. “Yes, it’s Serena.”

“Serena get Michael on the phone right now, it’s Paulie!” yelled Paulie on the other line.

Michael rushed to the phone. “Whoa Paulie what’s wrong?” asked Michael, concerned.

“We just took a major hit in our business district!” yelled Paulie.

“What happened?”

“Franco Scarfo just had his boys nuke the place. We had over a hundred people who worked in that district, people with families,” Paulie choked out.

“Oh God!” said Michael.

“Get over here now! Both of you!” yelled Paulie, as he slammed the phone down.

Serena and Michael quickly teleported to the Terrace Tower. They ran upstairs fast and barged into the meeting room where the rest of the family was waiting.

“How the hell did you get here so quickly!” said Anthony in surprise.

“You called me on my new pager, don’t worry about it,” Michael lied.

“What difference does it make, they’re here,” said Jackie, all fired up.

“All of you sit down look at this. The media is having a frenzy.” Paulie turned up the volume on the TV where the news was covering the story.

“The police are just itching to get us; luckily we’ve paid off a few city officials. A report has gone out that a broken gas line was the cause of the explosion.

” said Don Felice.

“We can’t just let Franco get away with this. He just killed over a hundred people,” said Anthony.

“We won’t. I just called on Godfather Scarfo to deal with Franco. He’ll have him pay us for the damages and the funerals, and he’s also giving his guy a going over,” said Don Felice. “Besides, despite the issues Godfather Scarfo and I have with each other and our organizations, he still respects me as a former friend from the old days and he knows that it is against the mafia code to kill innocent people, especially women and children.