Chapter 3

Carly grunted as a Hispanic gang banger slammed her into the alley wall of Mr. Booker’s Store. “Hey, check this Perra out.”

Carly opened her mouth to scream, and another skinny gang banger lifted his shirt and showed a pistol. “One word and I’ll kill you.” A third one got right in her face and put the edge of his knife against her cheek. He thrust a small envelope into her trembling hands. “Take it! Give it to your boyfriend and tell him and his father we’re done talking. You’ll remember that won’t you or do I need to carve your face a little more to remind you?” Carly nodded. He leaned in and kissed her “Let me find you alone again, huh.” He looked at his companions and laughed. “She’ll be fun.” He put away his knife and nodded towards the street. “Let’s go.” They casually walked to a yellow pimped out muscle car and got in. The one with a knife smiled and blew Carly a kiss before getting in.

Carly watched trembling as they drove away. She reached for her cell phone.

Kevin had just pulled away from a parts supply store when his phone went off. “Hello.”

“Kevin, some men jumped me.”

“WHAT!”

“I went to the store by the school and three Mexicans jumped me.”

“Slow down, honey. Where are you? “ Kevin said.

“I’m at Mr. Booker’s. I’m scared.”

“It’s going to be ok. Go inside the store and wait for me. I’m on my way. I love you.”

“I love you too. Hurry!”

“I will.” The call ended.

Kevin started to pull a U-turn but caught himself. He pulled into the next parking lot and parked and turned off the engine. He closed his eyes and took three deep breaths. Kevin reached under the dash and hit a release button. A side panel opened. Inside was a Smith and Wesson .45 and two extra clips. As he inspected the pistol, he called his mother.

“Hello.”

“Hi, Mom. Hey, Carly and I will be running late for lunch she got into something at Mr. Booker’s. So I’m going to get her.”

“She did? How late are you going to be?”

“Probably an hour or so,” Kevin said. “Hey, we’re not having Greasy Potatoes, are we? I hate those damn things.”

“Well, yes, I was planning on having Greasy Taters. I have Meghan’s recipe. If you don’t like them anymore, what do you want?”

“Whatever Dad wants will be fine. Just make sure there’s plenty of it because I’m starving.”

“Ok,” Kathy said. “I’ll ask him what he wants and yes, I’ll make sure there’s plenty.”

“Thanks, I’ll see you when we get home. I love you.”

“See you then. Love you too.” Kathy said brightly.

The call ended. Kevin sat and waited.

Kathy Rogers stood in her kitchen allowing herself a few moments of weakness. Then she grabbed a dish towel and dried her eyes. She picked up a landline phone and pushed a button then put it on speaker phone.

“Rogers Cylinder. This is George.”

“George, this is Kathy. I need Ben on the phone as quick as you can get him, please.”

“He right here.”

Ben said. “Hi, Momma.”

“Ben, Kevin’s in danger.”

“WHAT!”

“He told me Carly was involved in something at Mr. Booker’s store by the High School. Then in the family code, he told me he thought he was going to need your help plus as much as you could bring.”

“Where’s he at?” Ben said.

“He didn’t say, but he knows to wait until we contact him.”

Ben grabbed a notepad and pen and started writing. “Call him when we get off and make sure he stays put until I tell him otherwise. This could be a diversion. We need to get Meg too. I’ll have Rudy send his people for her.”

“Ben, If you send a stranger they have to tell her the code: Mama said the milkman is leaving. They have to say it word for word and not show it to her on a piece of paper or she won’t go.”

“Be sure to have them say what?”

“Mama said the milkman is leaving. It’s Lady code. It tells her there’s an emergency and she’s to trust whatever she’s told by the person giving it to her.”

“OK. I will. I love you. Gotta go.”

“I love you, too.” The call ended.

Ben Rogers turned to George and handed him what he had written down. “George, get on the private line and call Rudy at Tac One Security. Tell him I need one of his best armoured tactical teams for a VIP pickup right now. Tell him I’ll pay double fighting wages if need be. Send them to this address and pick up this lady. They have to verbally and I mean verbally give her this message in exactly these words or she won’t co-operate. Got it?”

“Got it,” George said and picked up the phone.

Ben got on the plant’s public address system. “ All Personnel, All Personnel, Down tools and shut down all equipment. I repeat, down tools and shut down all equipment. Meet in front of the manager’s office in two minutes.” He left the office and stood on the top step of the stairs leading to it. Once his employees gathered he said: “Everyone, I’ve got a personal emergency and I need help. My son Kevin is in danger. How much exactly, I don’t know. It’s enough he called for me and said to bring as many as I can get. This is completely volunteer and won’t affect your jobs, one way or the other. If need be I’ll pay. Who’s willing to ride?”

Ben noticed the upraised hand of an older man who wasn’t a clan member. “John, you don’t have to do this.”

John looked at him and said: “You hired me twenty years ago when I was homeless and the only thing I had to offer was that I was three days sober.” Everybody looked at John shocked. He looked around at them. “That’s right, I was a street bum.” He looked at Ben. “Because of you, I own my own home. I have a wife and three kids ready to start college. You’ve never asked nothin’ except a good day’s work. I’m going, and I have an extra pistol in my truck if someone needs it.”

Ben nodded. “Thank you. Go get your piece and ride with Mitch. Mount up, radios to 7. Dave, you and Vance head to my place. Call Mama on the way she’s a shoot first type of gal.”

“Yes, Sir,” Dave said.

Twenty minutes later, Rick Hines, the manager of A&DT Financial looked up from his desk. “You’re not due until tomorrow. Why the swat gear?”

“My name is Lieutenant Johnson. Your regular officers will be here tomorrow at their normal time. Is there a Meghan Patel here?”

Hines walked over to the lieutenant. “Why do you want to know?”

“She’s my client, and I need to speak to her.”

“Come this way.” Hines led him down a hallway. They found Meghan at a copy machine. “Meghan, this gentleman is here to see you.”

Meghan looked the lieutenant over. “Yes?”

“Hello, I’m from Tac One Security and Courier services. I have a message for you.”

Meghan gave him a puzzled look. “Ok.”

The lieutenant said. “Pardon me,” then leaned close and whispered, “Mama said the milkman is leaving.”

Meghan looked at him in shock. “Say that again, please.” She moved her hair away from her ear as the lieutenant leaned in. She nodded her head. “Now?”

“Get your purse. We have to leave now.”

Meghan turned to her boss. “Rick, I have to leave right now, There’s a family emergency. Let’s go, I’ll get my stuff on the way out.”

Rick stepped in front of them. “Wait a minute. Are you leaving with him by your own choice? If he’s forcing you, I’ll kick his ass.”

Meghan said. “He’s not forcing me, Rick. I really need to go.” She gave him a quick hug. “Thank you for caring.”

Once they were outside, The Lt. helped her step up into an armoured car. Once she was seated, he handed her a bulletproof vest and helped her into it. “Driver go.” He said then he handed Meghan a pair of headphones. “Ma’am put these headphones on. If things go sideways. It will get loud.”

“What’s going on? Why are these other men wearing masks?”

“Ma’am, we were hired to bring you safe and sound to the home of Ben Rogers. Somebody there must love you an awful lot.” He pointed at a gorilla of a man whose machine gun appeared toy-sized in his hands. “See that scrawny guy in the corner” Scrawny waved at her. She waved back. “He’s paid $150.00 an hour with a four-hour minimum just to sit there. If he actually has to do something the price triples, plus bonuses.”

“Why the masks?” Meghan asked.

“What these men looks like is none of your business. All you need to know is that any or all of us will die to protect you and you’re going somewhere safe. I had to let you see my face because who would trust a man in a mask. If you ever see me again I will appreciate it if you act like we’ve never met.”

The man sitting in the front passenger seat spoke. “Lt. air support reports an ambush formation is being set by at least eight white trucks near the high school recommends rerouting.”

“Driver, switch to route three.” Lt. said.

“Route three affirmative.”

“The high school! My daughter’s there.” Meghan said as she reached toward her purse.

Johnson ripped her purse from her hands and threw it towards the back. “NO!” He sparked a tazer in front of her face. “I will taze you if you make me. I will contact somebody now. Navigator, give me the satellite phone.” The man in the front passenger seat passed it to him.

A few moments later, “Sir, we have a problem. You need to contact your principal. Our VIP has a VIP at the local high school and air support says an ambush is being set up by another group at that location.” The Lt. listened a minute then “I do not have the resources to intervene. There could be anywhere from sixteen to thirty-two hostiles. There are five of us. Six if you count air support.” He listened a moment.”We’re in the states, remember? We’re not allowed to launch air to land rockets here. We have to play nice.” He listened. “Hold on.”

Lt. Johnson muted the phone. “Hey, listen up. Our principal wants to know if we would be willing to go get this lady’s VIP if the money’s right. Navigator, get air supports vote. We’ll have to rotate out of the states for a while, afterward.”

Scrawny said: “It better be some serious money. If it is. I’m in.”

The man sitting next to Meghan nodded.

“Driver?” The driver gave a thumb up.

“Navigator?”

Navigator gave a thumb up and said. “Air support says go.”

The Lt. unmuted the phone and said. “Sir, the cost will be $250,000 a piece. That’s $1,500,000 on top of our usual rates and the clock runs from when we picked up VIP 1 to finish. Are we agreed on terms? Ok, I will speak to you in a few minutes.” He ended the call. “Driver take a holding pattern. Navigator, have air support send us some intel.”

The Driver said. “As soon as you said the magic word, he started sending.”

“The magic word?” Meghan asked.

“Money,” Lt. said. “We love money. Almost as much as we love blowing shit up.” The satellite phone buzzed a minute later. “Yes, Sir.” He listened then started laughing his ass off. “I’ll be damned. It’ll break their hearts as much as it soothes yours. Have a good day.” He handed the phone back to the navigator. “Driver resume route three.” He chuckled. “You’re not going to believe this. Our principle’s principle was doing his own extraction at the high school. Those trucks were for a counter-ambush.”

Scrawny shook his head. “Damn, I already had that money spent, too.”

“What’s that mean?” Meghan asked.

“It means the man who hired the man who hired us to protect you went to the high school to pick up somebody and took his own team with him.” Lt. turned a laptop. “See where all these trucks are that are circled? They are all positioned so they can completely block this area right here in a snap. Bad guys would get in but wouldn’t be able to get out. Somebody on the sidewalk wouldn’t notice because of where they’re parked. We only saw it because they’re all white. This is exactly why we have air support. Since somebody went to a lot of trouble to protect you and took their own team to the High School. I think it’s fairly safe to say your daughter is fine.”

“E.T. A. five minutes, Lt.” Driver said.

“Thank you.”

As Meghan was heading to the Roger’s, Ben called Kevin. “Kevin, I picked up a bunch of steaks ready to grill. Momma wants you to stop at the store and pick up a small bottle of Dr. Pepper. I’ll see you in a little while. Don’t dawdle.”

Kevin was close to the store when he called Carly. “I’m getting ready to pull up. Stay inside until I do then get in the car as fast as you can, Ok?” Carly had barely shut the door when Kevin pulled off. He dialed his dad. “I’ve got the Dr. Pepper and heading home.”

Ben voice came over the car’s speakers. “Ok.”

“Grandpa is that you?” Carly said.

“I’m right here, baby girl.”

“I’m scared. Those...”

“Shh ... We’ve got you. I promise you can tell me all about it when we get home.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too. I’ll see you in a few minutes,” Ben said. “Kevin, take me off speaker phone, please.”

“I’m not sure exactly,” Kevin said. “I went with my gut. She said three Mexicans jumped her. She looks fine. Scared.” He looked at her. “Carly, are you hurt?”

Carly shook her head.

“She says she’s unhurt. Mom can check her out.”

“KEVIN!” Carly screamed. “There’s white trucks surrounding us.”

Kevin smiled at her. “Dad said to look out the back window.”

“It’s Grandpa.”

“These people are our friends. They’re making sure we get home safe.”

As they pulled into the Roger’s long driveway, three of the trucks besides Ben’s pulled in while the rest kept going.

“Why is there a bank car in the driveway?” Carly asked.

“Dad said it’s a special delivery,” Kevin said. He no sooner had stopped the car when Carly jumped out of the car.

She ran as fast as she could toward Ben crying and calling out “GRANDPA!”

Ben scooped her up in his arms and hugged her tight. “I’m here. I’m right here. Nobody’s going to hurt you.”

“Oww, Why do you have a gun?” she said sniffling.

“Because no one is going to hurt my granddaughter.” He hugged her a few more moments then set her down. “I need you to go in the house, ok? I’ll be inside in a few minutes.” Carly nodded and went inside wiping her nose on her sleeve.

Ben knocked on the side door of the armoured car. A small window opened. “May I help you, sir?”

“My name is Ben Rogers. You have a delivery for me.”

“Delivery number, please.”

“R98472V3,” Ben answered.

“Good. One moment, please.” The window shut. Ben stepped back as the side door opened. A man with a clipboard stepped down and helped Meghan out. Someone handed out her purse to him which he gave to her. She took it and went to Kevin.

“If you would sir, I need your signature to show we made delivery and your item was unharmed.”

“Absolutely,” Ben replied. After signing, he shook hands with him and said. “I want to thank you and your men. I know you were willing to rescue my granddaughter for me today and I appreciate it. If you’ll wait a moment, I’ve got something for you.”

“Sir, we appreciate it, but it’s unnecessary. We do it for the money, and your bill would have made you cry.”

Ben nodded. “I understand. Many people in your profession would have said: “What good is money if you can’t spend it?” You were willing to try. That means you have some heart. Since you do it for the money, you’ll like this, please?”

“Ok. Sir. Thank you.”

“How many on your crew today?”

“There are six of us, Sir.”

Ben turned to Kathy. “Momma, go to the safe and get six of the five rolls for me.”

“Give me a moment.” A few minutes later, she came back and handed Ben a small wood box.

Ben opened it and showed the man. “Here you are, Sir. Six rolls that each contain five 1 oz gold coins. Not only is the metal valuable but as a collector’s item each coin has value. I don’t collect the cheap stuff either.”

The man flashed a broad grin. “Thank you, sir. We appreciate it. Is there anything else?”

“No sir, I’ll give you high praise with Rudy. You did an excellent job.” After the armoured car left, Ben assigned guard posts to his men then headed into the house. Once he got set into his recliner and Kathy had served them all some iced tea and joined them. He said. “Ok. Would somebody please tell me what’s going on.” Everybody started talking. He held up his hands. “Wait, I can’t listen to everybody at once. Carly, you tell me what happened.”

“I was coming out of Mr. Booker’s when three Mexicans pulled me into the alley beside it.”

“When you say three Mexicans. Do you mean three women or three men? Were they young or old?”

“Three men in their twenties. I think.” Carly said. “They were dressed like bangers.”

“Bangers?” Ben asked.

“She means gang members, dad,” Kevin said.

“Let her talk, please. Is gang member what you meant?”

Carly nodded and her face became pale. “Yes, one of them called me a bitch in Spanish and pushed me up against the side of the store. A skinny one who looked a little younger than the rest showed me a gun and said if I spoke he’d kill me.” Her voice trembled as she continued. “Another one put the edge of a knife to my face and told me to tell you and Kevin they’re done talking and to give you this.” She pulled out the envelope and gave it to Ben. Meghan hugged her as Carly started to tremble. “He ... He said if I didn’t give it to you he’d cut up my face. He ... kissed me and said he wanted to find me alone somewhere. Then they got into a hot rod and left.” Carly broke down.

Meghan glared at Kevin.

Ben got up and moved the coffee table and kneeled in front of Carly. “Baby Girl, look at me. I promise you. Those men will never bother you again. You said they had a hot rod. Can you tell me about it?”

“It was shiny yellow like Bumblebee in Transformers and had those thin tires with big rims that move.”

“Do you know what type of car?”

Carly shook her head. “I don’t know about cars. I did see part of the license plate.”

“Good girl! Do you remember it?”

“11BV4 is all I remember. I couldn’t see the rest.”

“That’s plenty. Your grandpa is proud of you,” He kissed Carly’s forehead. “Kevin let’s go to the office. Momma, get something cooking, please. We need to get those eight boys outside fed.”