“I’m unclear as to the importance of one state senator,” Nick remarked.
“The bastard… I mean… Waterson organized grass roots, massive anti-Islam and Sharia Law demonstrations. His petitions on the Internet drew signers in the hundreds of thousands. His popularity increases on a daily basis. We have no defense against his accusations… except Islamophobia and xenophobia. Our counter moves weren’t working. He could well run for governor. Saran felt we needed to stop him any way we could, but his personal life and record are… exemplary.”
Johnny scanned through myriad avenues connecting Saran Al-Kadi to numerous groups tied to ‘The Muslims of the Americas’. He brightened suddenly, pointing at his screen. “Johnny Five comes through again. He contributed huge sums of money to our deposed traitor: Senator Diane Cameron. Perhaps now would be a good time to build a further file on Cameron and imprison her.”
Nick sighed. “I wish. She made a deal we can’t break to avoid being hanged from the nearest tree until dead. I should put a bullet through her head, but I can’t get Paul to sign off on it yet. He makes the point we need a definite time space for our own security. He’s right of course, but every time we get inside a plot out here, it has Cameron’s fingerprints on it. I wonder if this thread would be enough for him to okay bringing her to room temperature.”
“Forget it, Muerto,” Gus said. “You’ve already sanctioned one sitting United States Senator. I don’t think adding a retired one would be good either. Do you think Paul knows about Senator Ambrose?”
“He knows,” Nick answered, still gauging how much good Conrad could do them to further any knowledge of this particular ongoing fact finding mission. Every time he looked at the man while thinking of all the tragedy and heartbreak he had authored, reality intruded on the side of violence. “Where do we find your buddy, Saran? Be careful how you answer, Conrad. I’m not in the mood for playing sixty questions… or two for that matter. I’ll light you up.”
“I don’t know where he is. It…it’s the truth.”
Nick grinned. He gestured at Gus. A moment later, the squirming Conrad wore his gag again. “Let me tell you another thing I may have forgotten to mention, Conrad. I have a sixth sense for lies.”
Gus and Johnny enjoyed that admission.
“My friends are laughing because they know I don’t give a shit whether I’m right or not about my sixth sense. I have a feeling, and I’m going to teach you what happens when I have a feeling.”
Nick cut Conrad’s ball-sack. Bleach was applied, and no one questioned whether or not Conrad planned to add something to the discussion or not. He literally danced in place, begging for relief with high pitched muffled whistles of excruciating pain filled cries. Nick dumped water with baking soda over him. No one touched Conrad’s wounded area.
“Please… give me something for the pain!”
“If you don’t start talking, the pain you feel now will be like a long lost friend when I start again,” Nick said.
“He… he’s in Sacramento… please… If I-”
Nick motioned for the gag.
“An estate… near Pilot Hill! It has sixteen acres of land and… and three residences on the property. Al-Kadi uses it not only for a home when in California. He… he uses it for a dispersion area for cells planned around the state. Everything… everything is there. Identity forgery facilities, underground training complex where any weapons training can go unnoticed. It only has one access road on Plum Drive. I…I have been there many times. I can lead you to the rear access road where-”
“Give us the address,” Nick ordered. “Do so quickly.”
Conrad rattled off the address with Johnny checking everything from ownership to threads leading to suspicious front groups. Nick used a wooden stirrer to apply analgesic salve to Conrad’s injured parts much to Gus’s amusement as Nick made faces of distaste. After nearly ten minutes, Johnny smiled and nodded.
“It is an incredible place exactly as he described. A shipping company in Los Angeles owns the property. They are an offshoot of a corporate entity tied to ‘The Muslims of the Americas’.”
“Yes! I can lead you-”