“I couldn’t ask for more. I will send you everything we have, including my own private notes and reasoning. Candelus is away from New York right now on his anti-American speech circuit, so I will send you his schedule too.”
“That works for me, Paul. Keep it simple and to the point, and we will have no problems. I’ll talk to you later.” Nick disconnected. He went over and poured a double shot into his glass, sipping it immediately while contemplating the intricate steps taking out Candelus would entail.
“I didn’t like the facial expressions during parts of that, Nick.”
“Me either, I will have a choice to go or not go, but the target is a personal favorite.”
“Okay, that means in Nick-speak that Gilbrech mentioned a target you’d do even if they didn’t pay you… or at least that’s what I’m gleaning from this conversation.”
“Yeah… that sums it up. The moment he mentioned the name, my blood started boiling. It’s bad business to let a guy like Paul think he can read into my perverse target’s list, and then launch me on them. Even I have scruples.”
Gus and Nick enjoyed that statement for a time, finally getting over their penchant for Nick’s dual and also false morality. “You…you sound so passionate when you mention morality, Nick. It’s entertaining as hell.”
“Stuff the jokes. Getting Candelus into my sights has been a favorite dream of mine. I know announcing my distaste for a potential target because of personal reasons is a mistake, especially when speaking to a bureaucrat I hardly know. This guy’s name popping out of Gilbrech’s mouth caught me by surprise. Candelus runs his stupid mouth off heralding peaceful Islam, and then calls for jihads, fatwas, and honor killings, claiming they’re justified. The moment someone objects to what the arrogant bastard spews, he pulls the Islamophobia card. Let’s quit talking about that jerk before I lock and load myself into another kind of road trip before I even get issued the asshole’s contract.”
“I’ve never seen you get this pissed off over a potential mark before,” Gus observed. “You handled your friend’s two torturers professionally in a detached manner, allowing one to be turned over to Grace and Tim unharmed. There has to be something besides his stupid speeches bugging you.”
Nick sipped his double shot, smiling as to whether he should share his experience with Candelus. Gus would most definitely use the ammunition.
“You’re smiling… you prick. Spit it out, Muerto.”
“It’s no big deal. I got trapped on board a plane with the asshole, heading overseas to Paris for a hit Frank gave me. It was the first time my cover as an author screwed me up. My character Diego’s contract was on a Nigerian gun runner, hiding out in the expat Nigerian community in Paris. My real contract was an Arab gun runner operating out of Luxembourg, Germany. Candelus and I were unfortunately seated next to each other in first class. He nearly had a stroke when he took his seat, and I was already there by the window writing on my laptop. Candelus pointed his finger at me, hovering close with his black beard and wildly stupid eyes. ‘Nick McCarty!’ He nearly yells at me.”
“I’m thinking maybe this idiot is a fan. I then admit to indeed being me. Candelus sits down, and starts a finger poking diatribe on my anti-Islamic leanings. I listened with polite attention while the lunatic regaled me on and off for hours on end. When I refused to respond after his first fusillade of bullshit, he threatened me with a fatwa if I didn’t change my stories to make them pro-Muslim.”
Gus laughed uproariously, alternating between pointing at Nick, and slapping the table. “Oh… oh my God… a transatlantic flight with a vocal critic. How the hell did he survive?”
“It was touch and go at the end. I tried calming him down with the facts that I was a fiction writer, and no threat to Islam, but he would not let it go. The only thing that quieted him down was the stewardess warning Candelus he would be detained after landing, because she had already warned him twice. We were on a fully booked flight. My traveling companions in first class were not amused with the asshole’s invective.”
“So,” Gus replied. “How is it he’s still alive after torturing you across the ocean?”
“I carried out my assignment. I admit I did mention Candelus as a secondary target due to his traitorous leanings. Frank shut me down. He made it plain under no condition was I allowed to sanction or endanger precious Candelus. I tried reasoning he could blow my cover, and a myriad of well thought out scenes where Candelus could jeapordize our operations – all in vain. The last thing the prick Candelus said to me as we were disembarking was he planned to do one star hit piece reviews for every one of my novels on Amazon.”