Hard Case 12: Climate of Chaos (John Harding) Read online

  The big dude pounded his chest. “I’m the Terminator, ass-wipe!”

  Oh my, did that ever set off loud amusement. So much so, that the fake Terminator tried to throw a hand at Tommy. I caught it and shoved Betty back. “No touching, Terminator, until we get the game sorted out.”

  Every one of us Monsters thought of Nick, the number one assassin in the world, the true Terminator. Nick kills. He doesn’t dance the MMA polka, so it was up to me. I planned on ripping the Terminator label from this poser with extreme prejudice. I knew Nick could give a shit less, but something about this clown fired up the killer inside. What I needed to do was control it, so we didn’t end this farce with a complete police intervention… and autopsy.

  Terminator looked a little wary with how I caught his paw and shoved him back. He decided to get his nerve back in shape, blustering for my benefit. “We in it, Harding! Bets don’t matter. I make you cry or kill you today!”

  “Those are big words from a poser like you. I guess the bets are down from this bunch of cheapskates, so let’s get it on and skip anymore foreplay… Terminator,” Tommy said.

  The Terminator did not like the humorous reaction to his name, continuing without pause. “I end you tonight, Harding!”

  That statement elicited more humorous reactions.

  “You’re beginning to bore me. Show me what you got, Betty.”

  Terminator bellowed and plodded forward, so I popped him with a left jab, striking his nose, and nearly flattening it to his face. Blood gushed and more humorously, he grabbed it with both hands as Terminator fell on his ass. My left jab is one hell of a strike because I hit the target with lightning type speed and strength, built in grueling fashion on the ocean with Rocky poke pole. My guys had trouble staying focused on the gangbangers while appreciating the humorous and ignoble Terminator debut. I should have kicked him in the head and been done with it, but I wanted to see if he could get up. I could only imagine what Lynn would be reaming this guy with verbally. Tommy did a good job in Lynn’s absence.

  “Oh, for God’s sake! You’re the Terminator?” Tommy glanced at the stunned faces of Terminator’s West Oakland Gang. “We’re being punked. This must be somebody’s idea of a joke. Very funny. Someone, help Chrissy the campfire girl up and dry her tears.”

  By then though, Terminator had finally floundered onto his hands and knees, spitting out blood while unsteadily stumbling to his feet. He put up his hands in boxing fashion. I kicked him right in the nuts. Terminator dropped with a squeak to his knees again, clutching his injured part. Before he could collapse into a fetal position, I smashed a right hand to his temple. He dropped in a dead cat bounce, out cold. I turned on his crew.

  “Anyone else?”

  Silence.

  “Our Oaktown Cartel godfathers will explain to you West Oakland tulips what you’ve won. We own you. Your usual gangbanging days ended with the Terminator.”

  Gus Denova, Quays Tannous and Silvio Ruelas gestured the gang members into a bunch. They delivered the terms under which the gang could survive without Oaktown hunting them out of existence. We did the tedious chore I had hoped to avoid – taking names, pictures and digital fingerprints. By the time they acknowledged the terms and we finished our database additions, Terminator began groaning into consciousness. I nudged him with my shoe.

  “A few of you get the ex-Terminator out of our sight. Go home and don’t give us a reason to come looking for you. We have you all in our database. If you congregate again without permission, you will be fined five thousand dollars each, or thrown into jail. There are no takebacks.”

  After the West Oakland Gang dragged their champion away, I dressed again. Jafar showed me the video he recorded for our YouTube channel. “I uploaded it to Nick. He texted his thanks for schooling the fake Terminator. Nick will be here for Halloween too.”

  “We’ll draft Nick into playing the piano-man for Halloween after the kids hit a few houses. The fight was entertaining,” Lucas said. “Having to identify all those idiots made me thirsty.”

  “I think another stop at the Warehouse for dinner and drinks is in order,” Casey suggested. “We have to discuss our next move concerning Assio-Warez.”

  “We can’t do much. Achmed is working on tying her to Cobus, either financially, or through the panel that granted him probation. Then, there’s the idiot judge who didn’t send him back to prison after he got a DUI while on probation,” I replied. “I like the Warehouse idea. Maybe Clint and Lynn will be back by tomorrow. We could use their input. I don’t want to discuss Assio-Warez anywhere but face to face.”

  After our quick goodbyes, I headed for home to recruit my family for another dinner engagement. Casey was right to be worried. Assio-Warez wanting me dead struck a nerve. An army of gangbangers or high intensity combat in a warzone I can handle. The intricate plan to assassinate a high-profile political candidate in a place like New York or if elected, in DC, would require a pro. Nick’s input would be invaluable. I worried this could be a new type of plot. In California, governed by leftist maniacs, I had no doubt killers could be quietly freed, and given targets anonymously.

  At home, Lora and Al worked on Al’s homework. Kade drew and colored pictures across from them. They were the targets I most worried about. Kade waved.

  “Hi, Dad. I’m drawing pumpkins and witches.”

  I sat down next to him. “Have you ever gone trick-or-treating before?”

  “Yep. Mom Julie loves chocolate. I always had to be a ghost because it was easy and didn’t cost anything.”

  “What would you like to be this year,” Lora asked.

  “Could I be Batman?”

  “Sure. Being a ghost was probably tough.” I was guessing because I didn’t go trick-or-treating on Halloween when I was a kid. If people gave out booze my old man would have walked me all over town.

  “Yeah… I tripped on the sheet a lot, and I couldn’t see too well.”

  I opened my laptop and found a four-year-old’s Batman costume at JC Penney’s. It looked great. I showed it to Kade. He leaped on me.

  “That one!” Kade pointed excitedly. “I would be a real Batman in that!”

  I showed it to Lora and Al.

  “I think I’d like to just walk around with Kade,” Al said. “Jean texted me. This will be Quinn’s first walking Halloween, so her and Sonny will be taking care of him. They’re going to dress like those teens in the movie Grease. I think I’ll do that too. Can I get a black leather coat and matching outfit… maybe black jeans and sunglasses?”

  I could understand twelve-year-old kids wanting to look cool instead of begging for candy. “I don’t see why not. Is Jay coming with them?”

  “I’m not sure. If he does, Jean will make him dress any way she decrees. Sonny and Jay are in thrall to Cruella Deville junior.”

  Oh my… Lora and I had to take a few moments appreciating that gem. Kade joined us, clapping his hands and not having a clue about why. He didn’t care. Kade stopped suddenly as some thought crossed his mind.

  “Al… if I get my Batman costume, I…I don’t want you to hold my hand.”

  “I understand. I don’t want to embarrass you,” Al assured him. “I don’t want you falling off the steps though… or tripping.”

  “Mom Julie let me walk by myself. I learned I needed to walk slow. I’ll be great in the Batman costume.”

  The kids sure took my mind off reality for a few moments. “We’re going out to eat, if it’s okay with everyone. I need to talk over some business with a lighter mood at the bar. The Monster auxiliary will be there.”

  “I want to go,” Al stated. “I want to see everyone’s faces while watching you ride Captain Hook.”

  “Everyone’s probably already seen it,” I reminded her.

  My alarm at the front sounded. I went to the monitor. A limousine, parked in front of my newly installed fence with sprinkler system, expelled Neven Lewsome and five bodyguards. He might need them. One of these days, I will accumulate enough bea
t-up or dead bodies to discourage these visitations by annoying idiots. Lewsome had been warned. Lewsome spoke into my gate’s audio address system impatiently.

  “Let me in, Harding.”

  “Why the hell should I?”

  “We need to talk,” Lewsome said.

  “I’ll be there in a moment.” I shrugged at my family. “It’s the lieutenant governor again. He doesn’t have any Oakland Police Officers with him because Flo wouldn’t allow it. I’m sure of that. We’ll be going to dinner at the Warehouse. Count on that.”

  “Don’t kill him, Dark Lord,” Lora urged, unnecessarily… I think.

  I walked to my front entrance gate and opened the gate. I was armed and in no mood to get screwed with. “I warned you to stay away from me. What do you want, useless?”

  “How dare you?!”

  “Blow it out your ears, poser. You must have a death wish. In days, you won’t be anything but a shit stain on the underpants of California. Tell me why you’re here… quickly… or I go back inside.”

  “A citizen has disappeared you were last seen with. Cobus Whitehead was arrested by you and your cohort at the La Quinta hotel.”

  “Correct. He fired a shotgun at us through the door. We subdued him and asked some questions we needed answers for.”

  “Where is the man, Harding? I know you did something to Mr. Whitehead. You will pay for that!”

  “He was very happy when we released him. I’m sure, being the parole-violator he is, Mr. Whitehead decided to further increase his chances of being sent back to prison by jumping bail. It seems he acquired a get out of jail free card.” I took a stab in the dark. “Cobus helpfully enlightened me as to why he was stupidly released from prison by a corrupt parole board ruling, celebrated by getting a DUI, and then was released instead of being bused right back to prison. He implicated you and Governor Commie-Drowne in getting him released and Assio-Warez potato-head as the person wanting poor Cobus to kill me. He was very angry at being set up. I figured letting him decide what to do next would be best.”

  I might as well have stabbed Lieutenant Governor Loathsome with a knife. The blood drained from his face. “Where…where is Whitehead? I need to talk with him. Surely… you don’t think Governor Drowne and I had anything to do with Mr. Whitehead.”

  “I don’t know what to think. You coming to my home wanting desperately to find a parolee seems a bit odd. It makes me think Cobus told the truth and releasing him into the wild was the right thing to do. I have a bad feeling if he surfaces with the facts of his miraculous escape from justice, you and Drowne will be in big trouble. As to where Cobus is… he’s in the wind.”

  Neven stumbled away from me, pointing a finger threateningly. “You had better not spread these scurrilous rumors, Harding! I will sue you for everything you have!”

  I shrugged. “I don’t need to, bumble-brain. Once Whitehead decides to come forward on his own, I won’t need to spread any rumors. Cobus will implicate you, Drowne and the bug-eyed Bolshevik in plotting to have me murdered.”

  Neven glanced suddenly around at his CHP bodyguards, staring at him in obvious distaste. “This… this is all a mistake! I want Whitehead found!”

  One of the California Highway Patrolmen gestured toward the limousine. “Perhaps we should find Cobus Whitehead right away. I’m also curious as to why a convicted and vicious felon was set free a couple of times in the space of days.”

  I smiled as Neven trudged to the limousine, his mind shooting out into the stratosphere, trying to think of where Cobus went to ground. His bodyguards all suspected both the Governor and his Lieutenant underling of attempted murder. I now had a few answers of my own. I know I just gave a couple enemies of the state a wild-assed hunt for smoke and mirrors Cobus. Only Monsters knew where Cobus Whitehead went to ground. I thought of Captain Hook as one of our crew. It seemed a brighter day and night to me now. Knowing… rather than wondering… helped considerably.

  Inside the house, my family looked particularly anxious. “Hey… why the long faces? I believe everything is proceeding in a nice manner. This visit makes our meeting at the Warehouse nearly unneeded, but hey… getting together with our brethren always fills an empty spot in our hearts, right?”

  “You nailed Lewsome! I figured Cobus Whitehead would lead to an investigation because of the way you and Tommy had to take him. You turned it into a Drowne/Lewsome wild goose chase. That was a big gamble, Dark Lord.” Lora seemed more excited than I thought she’d be.

  “I didn’t think the Cobus handling worried you that much.”

  “What you just uncovered worries me more. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and a shoo-in for Congress in New York, all want you dead. What’s not to be worried about?”

  “Well sure… when you spit it all out like that… I may be in the sights of some very strange bedfellows. We’ll work it out though. The Monsters don’t cover their eyes and pretend everything is okay. Think of it this way… my putting Cobus into Lewsome’s head will probably cause my three plotters to abandon this new strategy of theirs. I plan to discuss the prisoner release program theory with the Monsters tonight.”

  “Dad… are you going to fight that Rudo guy?”

  “It depends, Al. If he develops enough fan interest, the UFC will support the fight. His undefeated record impressed us, and the fans love undefeated records. They’re hard to come by in the UFC or MMA ranks. Tommy, Jess, and Dev have been checking the UFC fan sites on the internet. Maybe they’ll have some news tonight.”

  “I like your Monsters,” Kade told me.

  “They all like you too.”

  * * *

  Everyone made it, including wives, kids and babies. Kade introduced himself to everyone with Al guiding him around. Jafar called ahead to reserve tables for us. Alexi Fiialkov and his wife Marla greeted everyone. Kade received most of the attention. After everyone settled in, we Monsters adjourned to the bar. I explained my theory relating to the incident with Lewsome.

  “Let me get this straight,” Casey said. “You caught Lewsome in nearly an admission Drowne, Assio-Warez and him, conspired to get a murderer released if the guy would kill you? If this wasn’t California, I’d say you were nuts, but we’ve seen it done before with illegal aliens released and not deported, killing people. The parole board that released Cobus and the judge letting him off after a DUI fits your theory, especially since you were the target.”

  “Casey’s mention of illegal aliens released or lost in the system, suddenly killing someone, being arrested, and then supposedly deported, only to reappear in deadly circumstances reeks of corrupt California,” Lucas agreed. “Anyone in a position the New World Order wants out of the way, could be first threatened anonymously, and then if they didn’t follow orders, a loved one could die in a random killing or accident.”

  “Cobus Whitehead fits the theory perfectly,” Tommy added. “No way should any parole board have ever released that prick. We need to step up our game. Achmed… can you set up a program to monitor releases of illegal aliens and murderous assholes like Cobus?”

  “I’m certain I can. If not for DL ripping Cobus’s throat out, I may have even been able to tie Cobus to the NWO puppet trio,” Jafar stabbed me out of nowhere to humorous appreciation.

  “I’m taking the rap for that,” Tommy said. “It was the only way to see a little justice administered. Cobus got that and then some.”

  Dev took the discussion in a different direction. “We have some lighter news you were wondering about, John. Rudo fired up the fan sites. He nearly has the oddsmakers calling the fight dead even. Naturally, Rudo claimed you fear getting into the cage with him.”

  “Sounds like Rudo knows how to build momentum,” I replied.

  “He already claimed you cheated him in the arm-wrestling video,” Jess said. “Guess who he hired to train him.”

  “Oh man… not Carl Logan again. I can’t believe the guy can’t just dominate the Heavyweight Boxing Division and be happy.”

  “Right
on your first guess,” Jess replied. “Rudo mentioned wanting to fight in Brooklyn at Barclays Center.”

  I liked that. “Interesting venue for a few reasons. Nick could be talked into doing a book-signing in New York City and we would be close to the bug-eyed Bolshevik. If she doesn’t back off when Lewsome cautions her, something will need to be done.”

  “Meaning… this looks like a job for Muerto,” Lucas stated. “He would know how something like an accidental death of an unnamed politico could be achieved without drawing nationwide attention.”

  “Exactly.” I knew Nick could at least give me some incites.

  “Nick foiled Rackson-Gree’s plot in DC.” Jafar lowered his voice. “He took out the gangbangers and lawyer, making them disappear without a trace, along with all of Rackson-Gree’s money to hire killers from her prison cell. I read where she can’t buy protection in the joint anymore either. She said something to the wrong prisoner and ended up in the hospital with a homemade shiv stuck in her side.”

  “Gee… that’s awful… poor little Leila.” I bet Nick enjoyed that sanction.

  Lora approached us. “John… that Rudo guy called the office, looking for you. He and his manager, Raymond Oringa, want to meet with you. I promised to call him back.”

  “It sounds like he has news. We’re done here with business. What do you think, T?”

  “Sure. Why not. I’ll go alert Alexi. It’s a little weird we were just talking about Rudo.”

  “Rudo lives in San Jose, so it wouldn’t be too strange for him to be in the area,” Dev said.

  “I’ll call him back. Do you want to eat first?”

  “Yes. The kids are probably getting hungry. You know what I want, Hon.”

  “Yep. Want me to pick favorites for the rest of you guys?”

  “That would be great, Lora,” Casey said. “I’d like to sip one more before we eat and then greet Rudo. I wonder if he’ll bring his entourage.”

  “Too bad Lynn isn’t here.” Lora left to call Rudo and get our dinner orders started.

  “Speaking of Lynn, she and Clint sure tied some loose ends in Vegas,” Lucas remarked.