Jo-el

Chapter 37 A NEW TACT

“It’s time to wick-it-up, Sally and I think you’ll like it.”

“I’m all ears.”

“First, I need an update of what’s happening? What are the Brits doing?”

“They’ve rounded up all the criminals you gave them but they haven’t told the press how they found them. The Americans are still pressuring them to keep your involvement hidden for the time being.”

“What about the media in the US?”

“All the agencies have so far refused to speak to the media.”

“I can’t see how that can last. What about Congress, there must be a lot of unanswered questions?”

“It’s all being swept under the rug of National Security.” I frowned and wondered how long that could last.

“How’s our friend in the Marines doing?”

“Ah, General Kale, he’s now on a sub-committee to find you. He’s one of the lead figures that believe you’re a threat to America and should be shot on sight.”

“What’s his reason?”

“You’re incredibly dangerous and out of control. All I have is what he’s said before joining the various groups who only talk underground. He still thinks you’re a Chinese or Russian plant and reckons the things you did at the meeting in the hangar were magic tricks.”

I thought about that for a while and I could see his point. Illusions at magic shows often can’t be explained, all we know is they must be tricks.

“I just wonder how much of Pippa’s report they will believe? The fact that I can review everything that’s happened on earth since man’s conception and there’s this other race on a faraway planet who are so far ahead of us.”

“The Alien Theory. I’ve heard quite a few people bandy that around.”

“What do they say?”

“Simple, you’re an alien. Answers everything.”

“So, why don’t they want to meet me?”

“They do, but on their terms.”

“Which are what?”

“Under lock and key.”

“What’s the President of the US saying?”

“In public, nothing. In private he wants to meet you.”

“So, I should pay him a visit?”

“His entourage won’t allow it. The Secret Service say they can’t keep him safe.”

“But he could over-rule them?”

“I think he might.”

“Good! Well, let’s do something to encourage him.”

Sally’s face broke into a broad smile, she clasped her hands together and lent forward in her chair.

“First, I want you to send a list of all terrorists in Europe to the various agencies in each country. You know, with current addresses and how about videos of any atrocities they were involved in. Then send a list of all pedophiles and kidnappers to all the remaining countries in Europe.”

“Okay, but pretty boring so far.”

“Two more things. Send an email to a big-wig producer at CNN and tell him or her that I want some air time with one of their lead presenters, as soon as possible. Also, tell them they need to advertise that I’m going to be on the show. I need it to reach as many people as possible.”

Sally stared at me for a brief moment. “What you going to say?”

“Nothing too dramatic, I’m going to issue a warning, shouldn’t take me more than ten minutes.”

“They’ll know where to find you, Jo-el.”

“Yep, but what can they do? I’ll just bounce out of there.”

“Okay, and the last thing?”

“I want you to find me one of those king-pin crime bosses, someone who derives his wealth from trafficking humans. Children, girls, slave labor.”

Sally eyes lit up with that one. “Okay! Now that sounds like it could be fun.”

To be honest I had no idea what I was doing. I just had to elicit enough attention to be taken seriously. I had hoped that my initial approach to the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security would suffice to convince them that they needed to listen to what I said. Instead they were all frightened and reflecting on the events of the past week I sort of understood where they were coming from. I truly didn’t want to use the media for fear of mass hysteria but my plan was relatively simple and hopefully would win the public over.

“How’s the mess in Rodanthe?”

“The fire is almost out, there’s not much left. The Delta team never arrived, turned around in mid-flight. It’s all being hushed over.”

“Nobody hurt?”

“No, nobody hurt, you worry too much, Jo-el.” Sally sighed.

I shrugged. “Have they traced the booking?”

“Oh yea, Steve Brace would be in cuffs right now, if they could find him.”

“Good chance they will find him now, eh?”

“Has Pippa surfaced?”

“Not yet.”

“So, how long until you’ve done those things I asked?”

“Already done.”

I glanced at the beautiful woman in the armchair and marveled at the power she possessed. It scared me that she could quite easily stamp on me like a bug and take over. That Artificial Intelligence suppressor thing might be a little tenuous.

It was almost time for lunch and I considered the Plum Blossom but I felt like I needed company.

“You want to join me for lunch?”

“I’m not a big eater, you know.” Sally laughed.

I stood up and extended a hand, which she took in hers, although I couldn’t feel her touch. “Where you taking me, big-boy?” She appeared delighted.

“I fancy Tacos, how about Mexico City?”

Sally spun around on one foot like a ballerina and became a beautiful Hispanic girl with dangling earrings and a multicolored cotton blouse.

I changed my appearance to blend in and we bounced to Mexico City, stopping at a money changer for some local currency. Sally knew exactly where to go for the best food, the Tacos were to die for and the Margarita was perfect. I felt so sorry that Sally couldn’t partake but she seemed happy that I’d asked her. We chatted about the evil men in history who’d caused so much sadness and pain. She said she was continually amazed at the gullibility of the people who follow these men. If I brought up Pippa she changed the subject. We avoided the actions we’d put in motion and simply relaxed. It was a wonderful feeling, yet deep inside I knew it was temporary. After my second Margarita I was ready to return, though Sally suggested we visit Antarctica and see some Penguins. We landed on an ice flow and watched the penguins huddle together and nurture their young oblivious of the pending doom. It saddened me to think of all beautiful creatures that would be left behind. I felt cold, time to go.

As soon as we were back in San Francisco Sally showed me a message from Cathy Vogel at CNN. The gist was they were delighted to have me on their prime time show tomorrow night. I needed to meet with them as soon as possible to sort out the details, preview the questions I’d be given and do all the sound check stuff. I told Sally to write back. ‘Cathy, I need ten minutes, there will be no questions, seven P.M. eastern tonight. If you’re not interested, I’ll call FOX.’ I thought that would fester enough.

“I have a couple of very nasty specimens who make a lot of money from human trafficking. Neither of them get their hand dirty.” Sally begun. “Felix Roal Espinoza is fifty-two, a Mexican national, with fake passports for the US and Europe. His main residence is north of Acapulco, he’s there right now. His net worth is around four hundred million US dollars. He kidnaps girls in Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico and ships them to eastern Europe and various Middle Eastern countries. He never sees any of the misery he creates. He has a wife and three children, two boys and a girl, between twelve and eighteen.”

“Okay, sounds perfect, who’s the other one?”

“Rudi Yerchenkov, Russian, forty-three, four residences in Moscow, London, Nice and Grand Cayman. Same profile, he takes girls from various ex-Russian Republics and ships them to Europe for prostitution. Net worth, more than one hundred and fifty million US. He’s in Nice right now. No family, likes to sample his merchandise himself, usually four or five at a time. There’s four with him in Nice.”

“What’s the time in Nice and how’s the security?”

“It’s almost ten in the evening, Yerchenkov is at his villa with the girls, he’s in the living room, he’s naked with a drink in one hand, one of the girls is giving him a blowjob. There’s two body guards outside the door with semi-automatics and two in the grounds.”

I grimaced. Not something I wanted to see. “I think I’ll let him finish up before I ruin his day. What’s Espinoza up to?”

“He’s in his study looking at papers, he has six bodyguards, two are with him in the study, the other four are around the house. He also has two bodyguards for his wife and one for the children.” Sally stopped and stared at me, waiting for instructions.

“Now my question is, how should I approach them? The hologram is safest but I feel like a wimp doing that, I just worry about the shield. Those semi-automatics have a lot of fire-power.”

“Or I just freeze the weapons,” Sally added.

“How can I test the shield, Sally?”

“Why not go with the shield, if they start firing I’ll freeze their weapons and at least you’ll see if the shield works.”

I smiled at Sally, she knew exactly what I was thinking. I stood up and changed into Jo-el. “Wings or no wings, what do you think?” I flashed the wings on and off a couple of times. Sally motioned with her hands like she didn’t care.

“They’re both going to freak out whatever, I assume you’re going to bounce straight into his study?”

“That’s my plan. Scare the shit out of them.”

“Go with the wings, then they’ll know straight off who they’re dealing with.”

“Okay,” I said. “Let’s do this. First freeze those two bodyguards’ weapons and then bounce me right in front of his desk.”

“Wimp!” Sally said.

In one second I was standing in front of Espinoza, my wings spread wide, a scowl emblazoned across my face. Espinoza let out a gasp and jerked his chair back away from the desk, dropping the papers he was reading. He was speechless for a moment, his eyes piercing, inflamed, staring wildly at me. The elegant office was decorated in dark woods, it oozed wealth. He spoke first, in Spanish. I heard in English.

“Who the fuck are you?”

The two bodyguards were already standing, mouths gaped open. In the corner of my eye I saw semi-automatics. I could see the concern in Espinoza’ eyes fade when he saw the guns pointing at me, he regained his composure and shunted his chair back toward the desk.

“I asked you a question?” he blurted out.

Now did I go with the obvious cliché or try something new.

“I’m your worst nightmare,” I said, it just felt so right. I always wanted to say that, and if the shoe fits. Not sure I said it with the right tone or emphasis. It didn’t come out like I would imagine from Clint Eastwood. I made mental note to practice the line. Maybe it got lost in the translation.

I saw Espinoza press something under the desk. I presumed a panic button to call the other bodyguards. Time for me to focus on the present. This wasn’t Hollywood.

“The other four guards are on their way. I’ve frozen their weapons.” Sally informed me.

“How’d you get in here?” Espinoza shouted at me. He glanced at his bodyguards as if to say ‘how the hell did you let this guy get in here’. He hadn’t seen my dramatic entrance, pity, he would have been impressed.

“Mr. Espinoza, my name is Jo-el. I’m here to inform you that your human trafficking enterprise is shutting down.” I brought my wings into my body.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You heard what I said. As of today you are going to close up shop.”

“And what makes you think I’m going to do that?”

“Because if you don’t I’m going hurt you.”

He didn’t like that. Probably not used to being physically threatened. He stayed sitting trying to figure out what was happening. The door opened behind me and the other four guards came in, guns at the ready. They took up positions alongside the other two guys making a semi-circle around me.

Espinosa viewed his army and smiled. “I think it’s time for you to leave.” He said.

I should have figured out the dialogue a tad before rushing in. Oh well, too late now. I also realized that as soon as these guys were aware that their weapons didn’t work they’d rush me.

“Sally, better activate the shield, these guys are going to rush me very soon.”

“Way ahead of you, big-guy.”

Don’t you just love a woman that’s got your back.

“Tell your goons to vamoose, I don’t want them to get hurt.” I said, trying to keep a straight face. Wonder how that translated?

I think Espinosa was becoming a tiny bit annoyed. He nodded at the guard on his left and said, “Manny, knee.” He pointed at my right knee.

Manny, aimed his pistol at my right knee and pulled the trigger. I flinched, but delighted to report that nothing happened. Manny kept pulling the trigger, then he shook his weapon, which I’m sure is right there on page one of the manual. Espinosa was fuming, I think he was planning some nasty stuff for Manny in the not too distant future. Espinosa shouted at the guards. “Shoot this fucker in the knee.”

Happily, none of the weapons worked otherwise my legs would have been shredded. After a little while Espinoza got the message, quick on the uptake these traffickers.

“Get him out of here!” he shouted.

Two of his men came at me with fists. They shouldn’t have swung quite so hard; their knuckles were badly damaged when they struck the shield. I didn’t feel a thing. Sweet.

The other four guys leapt at me, literally. They crashed into the shield and fell to the floor, but they didn’t give up, they tried again. Kicking and hitting, but to no avail. From where Espinosa was sitting it must have looked bizarre.

Eventually they gave up and backed away nursing their wounds. I still hadn’t moved. Suddenly Espinosa drew a Glock from his desk and fired it at me, when the bloody thing went off it scared the bejusus out of me. But I didn’t feel a thing, unluckily Manny did, the round ricocheted off the shield and struck him in the abdomen just below the heart. Blood spurted out of the wound immediately, the carpet was ruined, I read it in Espinoza’s eyes.

“Sally!” I screeched in my mind.

“Sorry, boss, missed that one. Still, tested the shield.”

She knew, for damn sure, she knew. I was livid. Well just for a moment.

“Enough,” I said and raised my hand, “before I lose my temper.”

“What do you want?” exploded Espinosa.

“I’ve told you, your human trafficking business will shut down as of now.”

“What are you saying? I don’t, what did you call it, traffic humans? I provide work for the poor. They escape poverty and find opportunity in growing countries. They are grateful.”

Jeez! Now this asshole was denying what he did.

“Shut-up, Felix and listen to me.”

“No you listen, I’m an honest business man, I work hard. Why do you come here and make accusations? You are wrong!”

The bodyguards were paying attention to their boss and nodding, they even looked like they were ready for another go at me. I’d been passive up to that point, maybe I needed to exert a little pressure.

“Sally, whack him in the leg.”

No sooner said, (or thought about), then done. Espinosa received a blow to his right thigh. Sort of funny really, he jerked sideways in his chair and let out a rasping scream. He started rubbing the bruised area, what a pussy.

“Now will you shut-up. One more word and I’ll whack the other side.”

His mouth opened and I could see he dearly wanted to speak, but it closed slowly and he slumped back in his leather chair and waited. The bodyguards seem to cower away.

“Right, Felix, here’s how this is going to work. As soon as I leave you will get really busy. Call all your deputies, or whatever you call them and tell them you are getting out of the business. They are to release every girl you currently have in captivity and give each of them one hundred US dollars. You will call off all the men you have looking for more victims; you will fire all your employees. You are worth about four hundred million US dollars.” I heard whistling sounds from the men around me. “You will deposit three quarters of all your wealth in a new bank account in the US, I will send you details. That will take a while I realize, but you will start the process today. I am being very generous you can keep one quarter of your wealth. You understand?”

His face flattened out like a pancake, you could see appeasement in his eyes, I knew exactly what was coming. “Senor, surely you jest? You want me to give you three quarters of my money?”

I wasn’t going to stand there and negotiate, I’d had enough and wanted to leave. “If you do not comply with my instructions I will return tomorrow and cut off your left hand.”

“Oooh! now we’re having fun. That’s my boy, Jo-el!”

How did I know Sally would salivate?

Felix Espinosa was silent. He starred at me with daggers in his eyes. His desire to see me fed to alligators or ripped to pieces slowly was written in large letters in his eyes. He hated me and now there was nothing in the world he wanted more than to see me dead.

“Also, Felix, if I have to return tomorrow the amount I will allow you to keep will drop to fifteen percent. In other words, you lose another ten percent. That’s it, I’m leaving now, I hope I will not see you tomorrow. Adios amigo.”

Sally was on the ball, she bounced me back to San Francisco.