When Bolan next awakened he was alone on the bed and the yellow light of a kerosene lamp was dimly illuminating the room. Toro stood just inside the doorway. He said, "It is nine o"clock, Matador. Matador."
Bolan surged to his feet, unmindful of his nakedness, and went over to his luggage. A man with a huge smile moved into the room and helped Bolan transfer the two suitcases to the bed, then stepped back with arms folded across his chest and glowingly watched El Matador El Matador get dressed. get dressed.
Bolan first selected a midnight skinsuit of fine woven, tough nylon and put it on. It fit like underwear, skin tight, with elastic cuffs at ankles and wrists.
The man with the big smile nudged Toro and said something in excitedly hushed Spanish as Bolan strapped the side leather on over the skin-suit. He tied the waist strap and inserted a fresh ammo clip into the Luger, then glanced at Toro and asked, "What"d he say?"
"He was admiring your black costume, amigo. amigo. It is a psychology suit, no? To strike terror into the hearts of your enemies? This is what he asks me." It is a psychology suit, no? To strike terror into the hearts of your enemies? This is what he asks me."
Bolan grinned. "I don"t know about the psychology thing. I wear it because it blends beautifully into shadows and because it doesn"t hang me up on doork.n.o.bs and fences and stuff. Sorry to spoil the illusion."
Toro rattled an explanation to the third man.
Bolan began drawing on a shirt. "So what"d you tell him?"
Toro laughed. "I tell him yes, the suit strikes terror into the hearts of your enemies."
Bolan chuckled and selected dark trousers, then canvas sneakers. As he finished dressing, he told his host, "Something is on your mind, Toro." "Si." He leaned against the wall and lit a cigar, then turned to say something to the other man. The man nodded, tossed Bolan a final face-splitting grin and left them alone. "Your enemies begin a retrenchment, Matador, Matador," Toro said soberly.
Bolan found a pack of Pall Malls in the suitcase, opened it, lit up, then turned to his friend with a frown. "Just what are you calling a retrenchment?"
"They have been scattered about the Beach, no?"
Bolan nodded. "I had that understanding." "Suddenly, senor, senor, their scatterings are no more. They leave this place and that place, bag and . . ." "Where are they going, Toro?" their scatterings are no more. They leave this place and that place, bag and . . ." "Where are they going, Toro?"
The Cuban sighed heavily. "Two large Beach hotels are suddenly in the midst of labor difficulties. All workers are pulled out, and these muy bueno muy bueno haciendas are suddenly without service. Reservations are cancelled, and with haciendas are suddenly without service. Reservations are cancelled, and with mucho mucho stirrings, registered guests are transferred to other establishments." stirrings, registered guests are transferred to other establishments."
"Uh-huh."
"Si. But . . . other guests come quickly, But . . . other guests come quickly, amigo. amigo. Bringing with them their own service. Is this not strange?" Bringing with them their own service. Is this not strange?"
Bolan smiled. "Yes, I"d call that a bit strange. Names, Toro."
The Cuban sighed again, almost a moan. "This would be most dangerous to attack these places, Matador. Matador. This would be the suicide mission." This would be the suicide mission."
"Who has to make that decision, Toro?"
"You are correct," Toro replied unhappily.
"Starlight Palms. Beach Hacienda. You know of these?"
Bolan said, "Yes, I know them. You have one h.e.l.l of an intelligence network, amigo. amigo."
Toro delicately shrugged his shoulders. "We are everywhere, Matador. Matador. A piece here, a piece there, it comes together as a whole picture." He frowned. "But we do not deserve such praise." A piece here, a piece there, it comes together as a whole picture." He frowned. "But we do not deserve such praise."
"No?"
"No. A something is missing. Some of your enemies, it is said, are going to a boat, a large boat, and I have not the name of this boat."
Bolan stood up and snapped the suitcases shut, then turned to Toro with a thoughtful gaze. "Some one else mentioned a boat to me today, amigo. A amigo. A party boat. Something like that?" party boat. Something like that?"
Toro shrugged again. "Perhaps. Did this someone also mention the name of this boat, senor? senor?"
"Yes, but I guess I wasn"t paying enough attention." He shook his head, then s.n.a.t.c.hed up the suitcases and headed for the door, Toro followed closely. "I have to get moving, amigo. amigo. You"ll never know how much you"ve helped me. In many ways." You"ll never know how much you"ve helped me. In many ways."
They went on out to the car. Bolan put the luggage in the rear seat. Toro seemed uncomfortable. Bolan hoped he wasn"t about to bring up the money. He closed the gap of silence with, "You going to let me out of here without a blindfold?"
Toro grabbed Bolan and embraced him, saying, "Para siempre hermanos - brothers forever, yes?" - brothers forever, yes?"
"Siempre," Bolan soberly repeated. Then he smiled and added, "Does that mean no blindfold?" Bolan soberly repeated. Then he smiled and added, "Does that mean no blindfold?"
Toro"s eyes were watery. He shook his head. "No blindfold for our Senor El Matador. Senor El Matador. G.o.d walk with you, Mack Bolan." G.o.d walk with you, Mack Bolan."
The emotion embarra.s.sed Bolan. He opened the car door and slid in behind the wheel. Then he noticed the brown satchel on the floorboards, and he understood why Toro had made no further mention of the money. He sighed and picked up the satchel and dropped it through the window onto the ground.
The Cuban said, "Amigo, it is too much. We cannot accept your own war chest." it is too much. We cannot accept your own war chest."
"It"s a revolving fund, Toro. There"s plenty more where that came from, just waiting to be picked up. You get yourself some weapons, amigo, weapons, amigo, and you walk the length and breadth of your Cuba with them. Which way to Miami, and you walk the length and breadth of your Cuba with them. Which way to Miami, hermano? hermano?"
Toro"s face was a study in restrained emotion. The eyes were watering freely and the lips trembled between a smile and a frown. He swung his gaze toward the veranda and a small figure detached itself from a chair in the shadows and stepped into the dim nightlight. It was Margarita, once more in the tight fatigues and with the businesslike .45 strapped to her waist. Toro leaned into Bolan"s window and said quietly, "Margarita demands the right of guide, or I would lead you myself. Follow her, Matador, Matador, she will take you to the highway. And Mack, in G.o.d"s name, take care. Do not die in Miami for the sake of nothing." she will take you to the highway. And Mack, in G.o.d"s name, take care. Do not die in Miami for the sake of nothing."
A final clasp of hands and then Mack Bolan, now El Matador del Causa de Cuba, El Matador del Causa de Cuba, was following the jeep back across the darkened compound, silent men lining the roadway and waving a quiet farewell. They were pa.s.sed through the gate without a challenge, and some twenty minutes later the jeep executed an arc in front of Bolan and halted, facing back the way they"d come. Bolan pulled alongside and reached into the jeep to squeeze the girl"s hand. was following the jeep back across the darkened compound, silent men lining the roadway and waving a quiet farewell. They were pa.s.sed through the gate without a challenge, and some twenty minutes later the jeep executed an arc in front of Bolan and halted, facing back the way they"d come. Bolan pulled alongside and reached into the jeep to squeeze the girl"s hand. "Gracias, soldada," "Gracias, soldada," he said soberly. he said soberly.
She stretched up and leaned into his vehicle to place a warm kiss on his lips. "Vaya con dios, Matador," she whispered.
Bolan swiped at his eyes and went on to the highway junction, several hundred feet beyond. He stopped there to unb.u.t.ton his shirt and withdraw the Luger, performed a final inspection, then replaced the gun in the sideleather and eased onto the highway. The glow of Miami was in the sky, far ahead. He tossed a final look behind him, to a place where he had found friendship . . . for so brief a time.
"I go now with death, soldada, death, soldada," he muttered, and sent the Chevy hurtling back toward the battle line.
Preoccupied with what lay ahead, he did not see the small vehicle without lights that pulled onto the highway behind him. He went, also, with Margarita.
Chapter Fourteen.
OF DEATH TRAPS.
Captain Hannon rose ominously from his desk and fixed Stewart Dunlap with an angry gaze. "What the h.e.l.l do you mean, lay off? lay off?" he asked in a thick voice. he asked in a thick voice.
The Justice agent"s ever-present smile hung on as he explained, "I"m just pa.s.sing the word, captain - relax. The official request is coming down through channels. I just thought you"d like to-"
"Well you can think again," Hannon rumbled. "The Dade Force is not not laying off." He grabbed for his pipe and thrust it between his teeth, then pulled it out and jabbed it toward his visitor. "Wholesale murder has been done in this town, Dunlap, and no self-respecting cop can turn away from something like that. Our chief, by the way, is a highly self-respecting cop." laying off." He grabbed for his pipe and thrust it between his teeth, then pulled it out and jabbed it toward his visitor. "Wholesale murder has been done in this town, Dunlap, and no self-respecting cop can turn away from something like that. Our chief, by the way, is a highly self-respecting cop."
Dunlap shrugged and said, "It"s not for Bolan"s Bolan"s benefit, John. There"s a h.e.l.l of a delicate angle to this thing, and we . . ." benefit, John. There"s a h.e.l.l of a delicate angle to this thing, and we . . ."
"I"m listening," Hannon prompted him.
Dunlap"s smile lost the battle. He dropped into a chair and soberly inspected his fingernails. "A five-year undercover operation may be at stake. Brognola says he"ll get cooperation if he has to go clear to the President."
"Uh-huh, Brognola"s behind it," Hannon observed. "Okay, so now you"re going to tell me that Bolan has a CIA license or something."
The agent doggedly shook his head. "h.e.l.l, no, I told you this wasn"t for Bolan"s benefit. But we"ve got a man in there, inside La Cosa Nostra, La Cosa Nostra, John. We"re just trying to protect him. Wouldn"t you?" John. We"re just trying to protect him. Wouldn"t you?"
"The best way to do that would be to apprehend Bolan, wouldn"t it? Does Bolan know who this guy is?"
Dunlap"s frown deepened. "He does and he doesn"t. I mean, if he meets him face to face, yes, he"ll recognize him. We"re not afraid of our man holding his own against Bolan. We"re afraid of him getting pinned into a Bolan-police firefight."
"Who"s been telling me," Hannon asked sarcastically, "that Bolan never shoots at cops?"
"He hasn"t in the past," Dunlap quietly replied. "In a fire fight, though, one guy looks pretty much like another. You go busting into Bolan"s war, especially with a bunch of non-uniformed officers, most anything could happen."
"Well," Hannon said, sighing, "you"re talking to the wrong man anyway. I don"t make these decisions."
"I know that, John. I was just advancing the word."
"If the chief says lay off, I"ll have to lay off. If he doesn"t, I"ll be going in with everything I"ve got."
"Yes, I know that, too."
"How high up is this inside man inside man of yours?" of yours?"
"He has Family rank."
"What Family?"
Dunlap sighed. "You know I can"t tell you that. He has an Eastern territory, I"ll tell you that much. And, listen, you"ve seen the success we"ve been having up in that area. We"ve been setting them up and knocking them down just like-"
"Okay, okay," Hannon said heavily. "So what"s this Brognola doing besides talking to the President?"
"He"s trying to contact our man."
"To what effect?"
"To get him out of there, as gracefully as possible, until things quieten down."
"I"ll make a deal," Hannon quickly declared.
"What kind of a deal?"
"I"ll hold off the Dade Force until Brognola gets your man out. If . . . if, if, Dunlap, you turn right around and scratch Dunlap, you turn right around and scratch our our back." back."
Dunlap said uncomfortably, "d.a.m.n, you do think like a cop, don"t you. I know what you want, but go ahead and get it in the record. What sort of a back scratcher do we have to have, John?"
"I want to know where they are, all all of them. A complete list, any place where Bolan might launch a hit. Now isn"t that painless? Who could ask for a better deal than that?" of them. A complete list, any place where Bolan might launch a hit. Now isn"t that painless? Who could ask for a better deal than that?"
Dunlap was chewing it. He said, "I"ll have to talk it up. I don"t know. Anything that jeopardizes our man"s cover is no deal at all. We go pa.s.sing out Intel like that. . . Look, John, we don"t gain anything by busting these people, and you know it. Their attorneys are downtown with writs before we can get the cell doors closed. We"re building cases, cases, John, not hara.s.sment proceedings. Bolan"s been a great help in that area, also. They"re all so jittery, they"re making mistakes. Like-" John, not hara.s.sment proceedings. Bolan"s been a great help in that area, also. They"re all so jittery, they"re making mistakes. Like-"
"Well, you go talk it up, Dunlap. We"re almost ready to roll. With or without your help, see, we know a few places where Bolan might show up."
"The Kirkpatrick woman?"
Hannon nodded. "When she busted, she busted all over the place. Admitted that Bolan had visited her and that she fed him information." "Got her locked up?"
"Nope. Made a deal with her, too. We turn our back on her, uh, delicate indiscretions, also take her word that she spoke to Bolan only after the Sandbank hit and under duress."
"You could hold her," Dunlap pointed out, "as an accessory to the Plaza job."
"Sure, but for what gain? h.e.l.l, I believe her story. She gave us what we wanted, we gave her what she wanted. No booking, no notoriety, and she gets out of Miami on the first available flight."
"You"re not even interested in her as a material witness," Dunlap observed. "That says plenty right there. You don"t expect to take Bolan alive."
Hannon"s gaze wavered and broke. "You don"t really believe that boy will throw down his gun and let us take him," he stated quietly.
"I believe he"ll fight you only if forced to," the agent replied evenly. He got to his feet. "No deal, Hannon. I don"t barter a man"s life away."
"Not even for the life of your own Mafioso? Mafioso?"
Dunlap said, "Get screwed, Hannon," and quietly walked out.
The captain stared morosely at the vacant doorway, then dropped into his chair and swiveled about to gaze through the window, his face a study in frustration. He placed the pipe in his mouth and bit down savagely, winced, then removed it and depressed a b.u.t.ton on his intercom. "Tell Lt. Wilson I want him in here double quick," he snapped.
The report came back, "He checked out, captain. Said he"d be gone about thirty minutes."
"Say where he"s going?"
"I believe he"s taking the Kirkpatrick woman home. Want me to try a radio contact?"
Hannon scowled at the clock. "Give him until eleven o"clock. If he isn"t back by then, get him if you have to put out an all-points."
He flipped off the intercom and turned back to the window. Barter a life away, eh? What the h.e.l.l did Stewart Dunlap know about bartering lives? For the first time in a long time, Captain Hannon seriously began to think about his retirement. He wanted out of it, he decided. He wanted out of the whole rotten mess. Stoolies, junkies, hookers, punks, muggers, rapists - what a h.e.l.l of a parade for a man"s life sum. And what made a cop an anointed executioner? In whose name did an officer of the law take to the streets to gun down society"s misfits? By whose order and by what convention did John Hannon, 35-year veteran of law and order, calmly and precisely plot the death of a confused kid from Vietnam?
Executioner? Hannon sighed. The world was filled with executioners. Some were sanctioned, some not. Who decided, in the ultimate court of all the courts, which were and which were not?
Hannon placed the pipe carefully upon his desk and went to the window. Retire to what? There was no one in John Hannon"s life now but stoolies, junkies, hookers, muggers . . . And an executioner. A 30-year-old kid fresh from the blood puddles of Southeast Asia . . . an executioner.
He went back to the desk, put on his coat, grabbed his hat, and went out. Captain John Hannon was not retired yet. He was still very much a cop. And it was time to begin the construction of a death trap . . . for an executioner.
The "confused kid" from Vietnam did not feel at all confused at the moment. He knew precisely what he was doing. Before the h.e.l.l broke, he needed a name . . . the name of a boat which sometimes hosted parties for visiting Mafia dignitaries. There would not be time, once the a.s.sault was underway, to run about seeking directions to the next front. He left his car discreetly parked one street over from Jean Kirkpatrick"s place on Palmetto Lane and, stripped to the night suit, made his way quietly between the neat stucco houses, across the alleyway, and over the fence into the Kirkpatrick rear yard.
Keeping to the shadows, he followed the fence to the side of the house in a soft reconnoiter, then circled cautiously to the other side. The house was darkened and showed no signs whatever of a living presence. He found an open window near the front and crouched beneath it, breathing as softly as possible in a timed "audio" recon.
Just as he had decided that the house was secure, he heard a faint scratching sound followed immediately by the flare of a match just beyond the window. A gruff male voice quietly announced, "Kiss my a.s.s, Tommy, you"re gonna smoke yourself to death. Christ, you-"