“Probably a wise choice for your own sanity and wellbeing. Is there anyone left in your family with ill feelings towards me? Dimah and Cala’s marriage will be going on as planned.”
“I do not know for sure,” Ishmael admitted. “I…I called because… when I was told Jacob and his men had vanished, my first thought is that they are dead. I feel that now to be true. I called you because I do not want to die. I am leaving, Mr. McCarty. I would not like having to look over my shoulder for death to arrive.”
Nick smiled at his crew who were waiting intently. “I’m sure if you go home to New York and steer clear of your more suicidal family members, you’ll live a long and prosperous life. It would be unwise to allow your name to be tied to any further attempts to track me down as Uncle Jacob supposedly did before he went missing.”
“Thank you, Sir. I will change my name if it becomes necessary to do so.”
“Can you do me a small favor and tell the rest of the East Coast Kaders to please stay on their coast? If they come here, tell them it will not go well for them.”
“I will do so, Sir. Goodbye.”
“Bye, Ish.” Nick disconnected. “That confirms it. Ish says the Kaders nixed my money offer. That’s why Jacob of the dead came after me last night. Ishmael called to tell me he knows Uncle Jacob and his men are dead. Ish is ‘leavin’ on a jet plane, he don’t know when he’ll be back again’ Nick sang to the tune of ‘Peter, Paul, and Mary’s’ song to much amusement.
“It means the Kaders may not be done,” Gus remarked.
“True, but there are a lot fewer of them,” John said.
“We’ll have to draw them out. I’ll deal with that when I get back from DC. We’ll have to stay at Defcon One until I clear things there. When I saw it was Ish calling, I thought maybe the Kaders had decided to accept. Well… one cluster fuck at a time. Phil better be in a non-whiny mood tomorrow. I feel a bitch slap may be in his future otherwise. I hope we can enjoy this last day without Kaders. If-”
“Dad… there’s a black car following us from along the street. We’ve already started back to you. We’re nearing Lucas Point now. Some guy is calling for us to stop.”
Nick was already on his feet, running to the road. “Wave at them and jog towards us. Don’t stop for anything, Jean. I’m heading toward you now. I should be within sight of you in about two minutes.”
“Three guys got out of the car, Dad. They’re running along the trail with the car speeding ahead of us. I see you!”
“I see you too, kid. Keep coming, but be ready to hit the dirt when I tell you to. You copy that, Cracker?”
“Yes Sir,” Sonny answered.
The black Ford Panel Van screeched to a halt as Nick ran past it at full speed. He knew Gus and John would be on the way with Gus driving and John ready to deal death. In a moment he was abreast of the kids and Deke.
“Down!” Nick shouted as he streaked by. The three men jogging after the kids looked startled but began drawing weapons. Nick went to one knee .45 Colt already firing. His first three shots hit each man center area. They dropped in their tracks, down with the .45 hollow points slamming them to the gritty dirt.
Nick ran closer, took careful aim. He shot each one twice in the head. Gunfire erupted behind him. He never hesitated after his last shot. Nick was on his feet running at the Ford, changing clips. Gus had blocked the van with John firing short bursts through the front windshield with his MP5. The side door slid open. Nick shot everyone clustered at the rear door. By the time he reached the van, Gus and John were at each side with finishing shots.
“We have to move, guys. Gus gets the kids, Deke, and our crew into lockdown at my house. John drives the Ford with me at the sliding door. Reverse until I tell you to stop. I’ll load the bodies. The shots have cleared the public but the police will be here soon. Let’s go!”
Without a word, John threw the dead driver over into the passenger floor area on top of the dead passenger while Gus raced his car around the van to where the kids were. Nick jumped in the rear cargo area. In moments, John had reversed around Gus as he loaded Deke and the kids to where Nick called out to halt.
“Keep the engine running and your eyes open, John. I’ll get the bodies.”
“Yes, Muerto.”
Nick ran over to the bloody corpses, throwing the first over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. A minute later, he threw the body inside and went after the next. Inside of five minutes, a slightly winded Nick dumped the last body inside. He slammed the rear sliding door closed before emptying the front passenger area of bodies, shoving them over the middle area behind the seats into the rear. He buckled in after brushing away windshield pieces.
“Carmel Valley, Kabong. It looks like another bloody Wednesday.”