Leopard, p.31
Leopard, page 31
Chapter 46
Calvin kept looking over his shoulder at the door, worried about how Leslie was taking the news about Wade Tyson. He was working with Mac and Zoe on the identification of the man named Weaver. The computer program was attempting to run the facial recognition program using the distorted photo of the man who was sitting in the car outside of Leslie’s condo the night it was ransacked.
“Who are you looking for?” Zoe grumbled over her shoulder.
Calvin turned to see her face was still on the monitors above her. “Leslie.”
Mac walked past him then whispered, “Minefield.”
Calvin frowned wondering why he would say that. The thing with him and Zoe was years ago when both of them were younger and finding their way. He had helped her escape a lawless life and she had helped them save democracy at that time. There weren’t any serious feelings between the two of them, at least not on his side. To be honest, he didn’t think there were on her side either. However, since he valued her as a friend he needed to make sure of that, he glanced back at Mac. “Would you give us a minute?”
“Sure thing,” Mac agreed. “Whatever happens don’t mess up my equipment. I’m just saying.”
“You have been around Phire too long,” Calvin teased then walked over to Zoe. Her concentration remained on the monitors as he walked up behind her. “Zoe, do we need to talk?”
“So, is she it?”
She never looked away from the monitor.
“Yes, Leslie is it for me,” Calvin confirmed as he leaned against the console. “How do you feel about that?”
Zoe hesitated, exhaled then turned to look into his eyes. “Does she challenge you? Because you need someone who is going to constantly make you think outside of the box.”
Calvin folded his arms across his chest, then crossed his feet at the ankles, sensing this conversation was going to be a little deeper than he'd anticipated. “She has a very challenging mind.”
“Good. Does she make you laugh? Because you are sometimes so intense you forget that every day of life is supposed to be enjoyed.”
Calvin nodded as he intently watched her. “We make each other laugh, at times cry, but most of all, we love each other.”
She turned away from him and began scanning the monitors again. “We all need a little love in our lives.”
“I agree with that,” Calvin acknowledged. “What about you, Zoe? Are you seeing someone special?”
“No.” She shook her head. “Who has time for that?”
“That’s the thing about love. It happens whether you are ready for it or not. A few months ago no one could have told me I would feel this way about a woman. Then she literally fell into my arms.”
“Does she know about you? I mean really know about all your personas?” She glanced at him. “Before you start talking about love, you need to be sure she still loves you after you come clean with her.”
“What about you, Zoe? Are you in love with me?”
“Me, bruh….no,” she protested. “We had our time, it was fun, and now…” she hesitated “we move on.”
The protest was a bit much, Calvin thought. Zoe was a tough person to get to know. She wasn’t one to allow just anyone into her personal space. “I was blessed to have you in my life back then. You kept me grounded at a time when I could have let my success with my first mission go to my head. But it was you that let me know what I did in finding you wasn’t that big of a deal. And that made me work harder to become the agent I am now. I will never forget that.”
“But you are now with someone else. I get it,” Zoe exclaimed. “I just want to make sure you are happy with your choice.”
“I am. However, I want to make sure you are okay too,” Calvin replied. “There is a man out there who is going to rock your world. That wasn’t me, and I think you know that. Yes, we had some good times, but it wasn’t beyond the atmosphere, for either of us.” He held her eyes with his until he saw her exhale.
“No, it wasn’t,” she sighed. “You were good, but you didn’t rock my world.”
Calvin smiled. “Then what is this all about?”
Zoe turned away from him, then explained, “You were the one who gave me this new life. You brought me from the dark side to the light. I never imagined you not being a part of my life.”
“Am I going somewhere?” Calvin raised an eyebrow.
“You know what I mean,” she chuckled. “You have a woman in your life now. It’s going to be different, you know.”
“No, I’ll still be around. You will still be giving me a hard time, and I will still be annoying the hell out of you.”
“You mean like you are doing now.” She smirked.
“Yes, just like that,” Calvin teased. “I just need to make sure you are okay.”
“I’m okay, just be happy.” She smiled. “And thanks for caring.”
“Always.” Calvin turned to the monitors. “Do me a favor.”
“What?”
“Go to the date of the Carrington fire. Scan that photo from a week before until the night of,” he suggested. “Let’s see if that gives us anything.”
“Your mind is always working,” she replied as she made the adjustments.
“It has to right now. Leslie cannot go on with her life until this situation is over.”
Zoe glanced over then smiled at him. “Then let’s get this over with so both of you can move forward with your lives.”
The door behind them opened. “Is it safe to enter?” Mac inquired before stepping in.
“This is your domain,” Zoe responded then advised, “We are running a new search.”
“Just following a hunch,” Calvin explained. “We are assuming the man in the car watching Leslie’s place is Weaver. If that is the case, we might get a hit on him around the Carringtons' home during the week of the fire. At some point he would have surveillance on the home.”
“What are you running?” Mac asked.
“A grid-by-grid search,” Zoe replied.
“Okay, increase the speed by 50%,” Mac advised. “That will go through days in a matter of minutes.”
“Are they still talking?” Calvin asked, still worried about Leslie.
“Yes,” Mac replied. “It seems to be going well. LT, Adam, and Al just joined them.”
“Al? She’s bringing in the strategic thinkers.” Calvin smiled. “It really is good to have friends in high places.”
“We got a hit,” Zoe called out.
They all turned to the monitor that began to populate with multiple sightings of the man in the photo.
“Oh, shit,” Calvin exclaimed. “That’s the man I saw on Ackerson’s monitor last night.”
Mac pushed a few buttons on the console. “Let’s see if we can get details on…look at that…introducing Mr. Richard Weaver of the sunshine state of Florida.”
“And look at that,” Zoe declared. “He is employed by none other than DiscoveryU.”
Calvin stood, legs braced apart, arms crossed at his chest. He had finally put all the pieces together. “I want all the information you can find on Mr. Weaver. Every location he has been to in Virginia. Check his phone records, all calls…wait, Mac, go to the notes I submitted last night. Cross reference the number I recorded. Then check every number that came into and from that line. I want to know every person he has called or texted from that number. More importantly, I want to know where he is now.”
“Working on it,” Mac confirmed.
“If he is a resident of Florida, he would have to take a plane to get here,” Calvin suggested. “Go to the date we spotted him at Leslie’s condo to check the airport area. He may appear there.”
“I can tell you this.” Zoe hit a button on her console. The monitor she was working on began to populate with pictures of Leslie with another young woman, Leslie with Vice President Lacey…and pictures of Leslie and Calvin. “He has been watching your lady for a while.”
“Wait, those are coming to his phone,” Mac stated. “Someone has been watching her, taking the pictures, then sending them to him.”
“We have some more big players in this game,” Calvin murmured to himself. “Track the number the pictures are coming from. Find that location.”
“Good call, because Weaver is in Florida at the moment,” Mac explained. “He can’t be watching her here in Virginia and be in Florida at the same time.”
“He has someone here watching her.” Calvin kept watching the monitor as information continued flooding the screen. “That’s the building.” He pointed to one picture. “Can you get a date and time on that?”
Zoe zoomed in on the picture he selected. “This was from last night,” she advised.
“Hold on,” Mac called out. “I have a live feed on that number. The tower hit is from… Hanover.”
They all stopped to stare at Mac’s monitor now. It took a minute for the live picture to appear, but when it did, they all took a step closer.
“They…whoever they are, are outside the building,” Calvin surmised.
“They don’t know where she is,” Zoe stated.
“It looks like they have been there for a while,” Mac added.
“They are waiting for her to come back to the building,” Calvin concluded as he walked towards the door. “Send that feed to my system,” he ordered while hurrying out of the room. “If there is any change in their position hit me up. Zoe, fill Sapphire in. Tell Leslie to stay here until I return.”
“Wait, I’m going with you.” Mac picked up his tablet. “Zoe, keep the stream rolling.”
“You got it,” Zoe replied to the now empty room.
Chapter 47
Mac pulled into the small shopping center across the street and parked in the same location he had used before. This time he dropped Calvin off a block away from the building.
Calvin had changed his clothes in the van, however, since it was still daylight, the dark hoodie would attract more attention in the neighborhood. Jeans and a dark sweater were going to have to suffice in this situation for Hammer.
Following the alley on foot, Hammer found himself in the woods behind the building. He glanced around to ensure no pedestrians saw when he disappeared into the trees. He continued walking parallel to the alley until the building came into view. He had an idea where the vehicle was parked, however the density of the trees did not give him a clear view.
Hammer activated his earwig. “Lock in on my location, Mac.”
“Affirmative.”
“Lead me to the back of the vehicle,” Hammer instructed.
Sounds of vehicles driving by, birds in the trees and pine needles crushing under his feet could be heard. Hammer stilled to quiet his movements and get directions from Mac.
“Twenty feet west,” Mac instructed.
Hammer headed west, moving hanging branches to clear his way. He still did not see the vehicle. Sounds of a dog barking in the distance caused him to stop momentarily, but then he continued.
“Okay, stop there,” Mac advised. “From where you are, the front of the car is ten feet to the north. Proceed with caution. You are close enough to be heard if the windows are down.”
“Affirmative.”
Mindful of sound, Hammer continued west. He wanted to come up behind the vehicle. He took five additional feet then turned north. Three feet in, he could see the back of the black SUV. His steps slowed, taking lighter, smaller strides as he got closer.
“There is only one occupant in the vehicle. Can you confirm?”
“Confirmed. Infra-red shows one live body in the front passenger seat.”
Scanning the area to ensure no one else was around, Hammer eased close to where the vehicle was parked. Using the large trunk of the tree as a shield he watched the person in the vehicle for a few minutes before making another move.
“Hold up. Movement coming towards you from the building.”
Hammer eased back behind the tree trunk. A moment later a figure appeared from the other side of the woods. Reaching in his pocket, Hammer pulled out a straw-like object, flipped the cap off then placed it between his lips. He waited until the figure opened the door of the vehicle then blew. He retreated back behind the tree to wait for a sound.
“There was something blocking the door.”
It worked. Hammer smiled.
“That’s what Myers indicated before he disappeared,” another voice huffed.
“It’s like a shield or something,” the first voice exclaimed.
“Like a force field is around it,” the second voice spoke again.
“We know this was Myers' last location,” the first voice spoke. “Something is off here. We’ve been sitting on this location for 24-hours. There is no sign of Myers or the woman.”
“If what is in that building is so important, she will show up sooner or later. When she does, we will snatch her and be done with this job.”
“Do you know why they now want the girl?”
“They pay me enough money not to care.”
Hammer assessed them as the typical Alpha and Beta types. The one with the funny voice was the alpha on the team. He considered using his phone to take a picture of the occupants, but that might give off a flash. He didn’t want to give away his position.
“You still locked in on the vehicle?” Hammer inquired.
“Affirmative,” Mac replied.
“On my signal, send a distraction to get them out of it.”
“Request received.”
Hammer slid to the ground and crawled to the back of the vehicle. He turned over on his back then slowly dragged his body under the vehicle. He pulled out his phone, clicked on a button to send a signal to Mac, then put it back in his pocket. Next, he pulled out a pen-like device and waited.
The windows on the vehicle slowly began cracking. Mac had activated a sound wave causing confusion for the occupants inside the vehicle.
“What in the hell?”
That was the driver’s voice, Hammer deducted. He knew he was right when the driver's door opened and he jumped from the vehicle.
Hammer pushed the tip of the pen-like object. A thin wire was dispensed, aimed at the legs of the driver. The wire wrapped round the man’s legs causing him to fall to the ground.
“Shit!" the man exclaimed. When he reached for the wire around his legs, he looked right into Hammer’s eyes.
“Who in the hell….”
The question was never completed as Hammer shot him with a laser. He heard the passenger's car door open, then quickly slid towards the front of the vehicle. To his surprise, a boot stomped right in the middle of his chest that stopped his progression. He grabbed the foot, twisted it, then heard the shot from a silencer go off hitting a tree. Birds scattered from the area at the intrusion. Jumping up from his position, he was met with a kick to the head which knocked him backwards. That was going to leave a scar, he thought, but did not have time to worry about that. He flipped his body over, while kicking the legs of the person out from under him. The body fell to the ground with a thump. Hammer did not waste any time, he grabbed the leg of the person attempting to get the gun that had fallen earlier then quickly dispensed another round of wire that wrapped both legs together.
The person turned out to be a female, but Hammer took no pity on her. With one blow, he knocked her out. She'd fought like a damn man against him.
He stood. “I have two bodies that need to be moved inside for questioning.”
“Affirmative.”
“Check to see if there is still surveillance tracking on the building.”
“Confirmed, tracking still in place.”
“How much time do we have to move the bodies undetected?”
“Not much. Only ten minutes before the next round of pictures.” Mac appeared at Hammer’s side.
“Disable the dome,” Hammer ordered.
“Done.” Mac nodded as he ensured the first man down was secured.
“Let’s get them inside," Hammer said as he put the woman over his shoulder.
“Umm,” I’ll take her,” Mac suggested.
Hammer placed the woman on Mac’s shoulder then picked up the man as if he was a paper doll. “Weakling.”
“Yes, and proud of it,” Mac replied. “She’s still heavy.”
Hammer shook his head then scanned the area before leaving the woods. “Double time.”
Hammer and Mac carried the two bodies inside then bound both of them to chairs. They placed them facing each other.
“What now?” Mac inquired.
“I need you to take pictures of each. Go to the van and run facial ID on them,” Hammer advised. “I’ll meet you there when I finish here.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Interrogate them,” Hammer replied.
“Are you going to kill them?”
“Not if I don’t have to.” Hammer glared at him. “Either way, you will not be here to witness anything…understood?”
“I get it, but I’m supposed to be your backup.”
“No, you are a tech. Now, go tech.”
Mac hesitated for a while, then exhaled, leaving the building.
Hammer did not waste any time. He got two cups of water then came back into the main area of the building. He threw the water in both of their faces, then slapped them a few times until they were both awake. “I need information and I do not have the time or patience to play the game of back and forth.”
He checked the gun with the silencer he had taken from the woman. It was loaded.
