“All the more reason this expansion of strike bases we can launch from makes sense,” I added. “If we could get an exception made for our operations on US soil, it would be much less difficult to move on a target. I saw your facial expression when Saran Al-Kadi was mentioned during our discussion before dinner, Claude. I was hoping you knew him.”
Chardin nodded. “I didn’t say anything then because we were meeting with your whole team now. I needed to think through the complications that may arise for me. Al-Kadi tried to have me killed in France. I stopped taking contracts from the Saudis. Whether rogue elements of the government initiate these branches of Islamic murderers or the plague is systemic, the fact is they fund nearly everything from behind a curtain of payoffs to political figures all over the world. As I’ve explained previously, that ‘Arab Spring’ bullshit was the last straw for me. I can tell you this much, once Al-Kadi knows of your team, he will stop at nothing to destroy you and your families. That is why I needed time to decide. I am in with you on this. I see you are committed to fighting these bastards by any means available.”
“We protect our own too, Claude,” Denny said. “I have an idea for a way in without blowing the place apart. It carries some danger of course. If you’re interested, I’ll call Nick and see if he likes the idea.”
“I do not care about the danger part. I only care about protecting my family once Al-Kadi knows I am involved. What is it you would have me do?”
“You know of Nick McCarty’s elevation in ‘Dark Web’ lore to the number one assassin in the world since his killing of Felix Moreau. It would be a bold move if you and Nick arrived at Al-Kadi’s compound at the front door. If you two could get inside, I believe the distraction would be enough to enable the rest of our assault team to enter with a minimum of destruction.”
Wow. Thinking it over silently, Denny’s idea seemed not only plausible, but perfectly suited for the op if Al-Kadi’s curiosity could be stirred by the arrival of two world class assassins. I kept my mouth shut because Claude needed to make up his own mind. I could tell from the faces around me, I wasn’t the only one who liked the idea.
“What you describe would be very bold,” Claude acknowledged. “If Nick will join me in this, I will do it. You do know once Al-Kadi knows it is me on his doorstep, he may tell his men to open fire.”
“If Dead Boy’s with you, he’ll shoot them in the head before they can aim,” Clint said. “We’ll be in position as a strike force to move quickly if something goes wrong. Lucas will have a sniper nest picked out with full view of the main house front. You have to be careful with Dead Boy though. He’ll sneak a grenade in and our vacation retreat will be a pile of rubble.”
Clint’s warning provoked much amusement.
I think the Nick and Claude approach fits. “Denny’s plan works for me as well. If we can get Nick and Claude inside before the men frisk them, they can hold the entrance until we double time inside. Then it may get wild. I’d like to gas them through their ventilation system like we did the mobsters that time in Tahoe, but if Al-Kadi does have guards, it would be nearly impossible to do it without discovery. Then we’d be back where we started with a shootout at the ‘Okay Corral’.”
“We’ll stream the satellite footage and make a final decision after reviewing what we get,” Denny said. “Now, that aside, why the hell do you need to fight Knowly tomorrow night?”
“We have to keep the Nejem family and their plots in our sight,” I replied. “Knowly saw a chance to snag some money and get a shot at making a splash in the UFC. The Nejem family turning over fifty grand for him to put a whoopin’ on me goes beyond suspicious. I wonder if a few of their representatives will show at fight time.”
“This is my fault,” Denny admitted. “If I hadn’t turned Daddy Nejem and his crew over to the police after he answered my questions, this wouldn’t have happened. I thought with the video and audio evidence he wanted to kill his own daughter he’d be in lockup for at least a year.”
“Don’t worry about Amara,” Clint said. “Lynn and I will make sure she’s safe. We’ll take her to the classes she has over at the college. Maybe we’ll spot some suspicious guys paying too much attention to her. The fight will be a key place to start looking tomorrow. I wonder if Papa Nejem is stupid enough to attend the fight. After what Lucas did to him, he’d piss his pants if he saw Lucas. I’ll take sniping duties if you want to attend the fight inside, Lucas.”
“Hell yeah! Thanks Clint. I’d love to see that woman beater again. This time he goes on a cruise. Amara doesn’t have to know. Better yet, Jafar can practice his helicopter skills. He can fly us way the hell out over the ocean so I can drop Daddy into the drink alive.”