“Count me in,” Gus said.
“El Muerto will be at your side, Kabong. Let’s get Fen in the freezer. I think we’ll have a short time to enjoy the beach before we have to move on Fernando. It’s the weekend. I’ll pack a bag and bring Jean, Quinn, Rachel, and Deke with me.”
“Until we deal with Fernando, maybe you should drive everywhere,” Gus suggested. “We’re not even sure Carone wouldn’t have added you onto Fen’s hit list.”
“Those ‘bangers will be out this morning in spite of their lawyer’s unfortunate passing,” Johnny reminded everyone. “I think Payaso is right, Muerto. It may be dangerous for you to walk around. What about your new ascendency to number one assassin in the world?”
Nick shrugged while they placed the Fenric bag on the gurney for transport. “There’s a bunch of notes on my drop, some from my fellow assassins. Apparently they figured rightfully I was no longer taking contracts since ending Frank Richert’s NSA power grab. Since learning the fate of Moreau, I’m getting very popular. Moreau’s old employers are a bunch I’d like to deal with for one reason: to get into a position to put a bullet through their heads. There are Saudi potentates with numerous wives who would rather a professional assassin murder their wives. I swear to God… sometimes… I feel like doing a hit list through the Saudi royal family. Their money funds chaos throughout the world, along with the shitheads who follow that murderous cult of Islam: Wahhabism. I admit I’d take a hit on a Saudi royal family member in a heartbeat.”
Gus stopped the procession. He pointed a finger at Nick. “That means you’ve been recruited to do exactly that. You’re warming us up for the trigger. Bad Muerto… bad.”
Nick shrugged. “I was offered a million dollars to take out a Saudi royal prince. It’s flaky by a source I’m unfamiliar with. It’s just one of many I’ve gotten since suspicions were confirmed by Felix’s handlers. They want to adopt me too. I don’t answer the drop e-mail unless it comes from our close personal contacts. I’ve lit up the ‘Dark Web’. Every suspicion about how Felix met death has been gone over in significant detail there, with me as the star.”
“What name do you go by on the ‘Dark Web’, Muerto,” Cala asked.
“Terminator,” Nick answered with a grin. “I know Gus introduced Rachel and Jean to the tag long ago. It’s a game. So many departments scan me, measuring prosecution, it’s funny in a way. I hope they’re actually paying attention to the real enemy.”
“I remember a time when your tag on the ‘Dark Web’ was funny,” Gus said. “After the first time you helped me rescue my brother and friends, I knew the Terminator tag was absolutely accurate. It has proven true in every single op we’ve ever taken. I don’t talk Muerto out of various venues of course. It doesn’t mean I don’t know all he’s done. It means I trust him to be on the right side of every single action in his name. He has been, and I trust he will be so until we end this. The more we talk, the thirstier I get, and the more I desire that damn cold beach. Plus, I get to watch Kabong dance with the goofy birds.”
“I shall dance the dance of birds in flight,” Kabong said. “Especially, since I will bring them special treats today.”
“One of these days we’ll watch the birds cluster about you in those waves you’ve drawn and then you’ll simply disappear on their upward flight.”
“The birds love me, Payaso. Don’t be a hater.”
Chapter Three
Carone
Quinn laughed in Rachel’s arms as she held him aloft to watch Johnny throw bits of bread into the air, surrounded by a flock of beach birds hovering for snacks. Jean, Sonny, and Deke maneuvered around him while staying far enough away to keep from interfering with the feeding. Deke in particular acted entranced with the bird feeding as always, staying slightly behind Jean’s leg, while peeking at the chaotic scene.
“I don’t think Deke ever will get used to the flying rats,” Gus said. “I swear… every day we accompany the birdman from the sand out here, the swarm grows in numbers.”
“You’re probably right, but the kids love it as much as Johnny does,” Nick said. “There’s so many now, I keep expecting them to attack like in the Alfred Hitchcock movie ‘The Birds’.”
“That movie is creepy,” Tina added. “It gives me chills watching him. I’m like Gomez. I keep waiting for them to start poking his eyes out.”
“The birds know him so well now, if he ever comes to the beach without food, they will surely attack,” Cala remarked.
Jean pointed at an approaching vehicle. “Police car, Dad.”
Nick sighed while taking one last long sip of his spiked coffee. He didn’t look around. “Is it slowing down?”
“Yep,” Rachel answered while playing with Quinn as she glanced toward the street. “It stopped. Neil got out. He’s waving.”