Jean shrugged. “Okay, but the Nazaris bother me because of all the things I know about Islam. It’s not a religion… it’s ‘Murder Incorporated’. We’re just kids but we can read the headlines. The Muslims keep killing people all over the world. They remind me of when we were on the run from the gangsters trying to kill us. You stopped them. You didn’t do it with understanding and giving them the keys to the Kingdom. I’ll stop messing with Ms. Nazari but I hope the parents keep complaining.”
“I never thought I’d see an actual pirate attack,” Sonny added. “Those people were going to hold that mammoth ship and everyone on board for ransom. It’s not wrong to blame Islam. They would have killed any number of people to gain control of the ship. People cheered when the attackers were destroyed. None of them cared who or why it was done. I want them to fear us. The Unholy Trio is the best!”
Sonny’s declaration quieted the adults.
“We had a lot of help from John Harding’s crew,” Nick said. “You two are the most mature ten year olds in existence. We’ll take the Nazari situation one day at a time. For now, thank you for not messing with her. I have a feeling the first time she annoys her Muslim man, she’ll learn the other face of the true believer.”
“How soon do we go on the Tempest,” Gus asked.
“Very soon,” Nick answered. “As to our attack plan on the Tempest, I have only a vague outline to take control of the superyacht without sinking her. The success of saving the ship for ourselves to use is not a foregone conclusion. It will depend on weather, resistance, and my ability to get on board with John Harding from the ocean. Only then will we be in a position to assess the chances of capturing the Tempest in one piece. It won’t be a walk in the park. In the end, we may have to sink the ship or damage it beyond repair. One tool on the list the government feels we need to pursue is Carone’s tie to Al-Kadi. Paul wants information from anyone we can capture and interrogate. The money backers are becoming more predictable and in plain sight. After the Tempest is secured one way or another, we’ll have to move on Pilot Hill before Al-Kadi learns the fate of Carone.”
“Agreed,” Johnny said. “Do you wish for a plan of attack on the Nazari husband?”
“No. I don’t plan to overreact to Majd. There are too many people involved in these altercations at the school with the complaints already made about Flo. I’m not sure there’s any real danger to Jean and Sonny. The Nazaris may be the typical couple for all I know. I’ll do a background check and learn if Majd is a citizen by birth or by marriage to Flo. We’ll be closely observing anything of a threatening nature. Jean’s not a newbie. She knows better than to discount anything or ignore it. We can’t change school policy so what Flo gets away with will have to stay between her and the principal.”
“I know you have to do this Tempest thing, but what do you think is really going on with a connection between Carone and Al-Kadi,” Rachel asked.
“Money for Carone. My guess is Al-Kadi’s backers set Carone up with the Tempest to provide an endless money supply to fund Al-Kadi’s Pilot hill operation. The Tempest is a perfect transfer station for terrorists moving through Mexico from Central America. Those Panga boats can drop them anywhere along the coast for Al-Kadi to hide and train at Pilot Hill. We should be able to learn how extensive this network is with the capture of the Tempest. Homeland Security and the FBI can do their jobs with investigating once we have proof of what’s happening. I admit we’re in the dark concerning the range of this. We’ll at least know if we’ve stopped this before it spread across the country. Pilot Hill may be their starting point for a Muslim No-Go zone where they can try to build underground armories and hide infiltrators in remote places. Think of a network of hidden conclaves able to store munitions, weapons and an army of trained fighters throughout the nation. If we discover what plans they’re formulating, we may be able to finally interest our idiot leaders in stopping the Islamic Trojan Horse from rolling over us.”
Nick shrugged in a blame me gesture. “Yes… I know none of this should be discussed in front of the kids. It will probably cause them to do more stunts like this extortion gang surveillance gig. I’m hoping they learn as they get older to bring me in as the last arbiter on anything they plan. As to the Nazaris, they need to be monitored in any way we can. We’ll do it somehow without stirring more trouble for the school, including watching their financials, behavior in public, and of course any threats they make. Threats get them a one-way ticket to the House of Horror.”
“You can trust Viper and Cracker,” Jean stated. “We’ll get to work on the undercover assignment right away.”
Rachel slapped her hands over her face in comical fashion. “We’ll have to chain her in the bedroom. You’re my early warning system from now on, Igor.”
“No way do you coerce my minion into ratting me out! Don’t listen to her, Cracker.”
“Minion? Really? I’ll do it, but only if she’s plotting something dangerous, stupid, or both,” Sonny said.