Chapter 58

 

 

-Chicago-

 

 

Almost a week has gone by and nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Joel and Barbara are sitting in Joel’s office going over everything Sentry has done since they got involved with The Last Resort. They’re hoping that something else will cross their minds that will help them to crush the dirt bags once and for all. So far, not a blip of an idea has shown up.

 

Barbara is in one of her rare what she calls narky moods. When she first came into the office this morning she was her usual observant, talkative, humorous self, but as the morning progressed she became crankier and crankier. Joel knows it’s best to leave her alone when she’s like this or she’ll clam up and not talk to anyone at all until she resolves what’s bugging her. Her Irish temper won’t let her be silent for too much longer, so Joel figures to wait her out.

 

As if she has read his mind Barbara blurts out, “Sitting here doing nothing reminds me of something I heard my granddad once say in a similar situation. ‘Sitting here doing nothing is like sitting in a pub nursing a glass of water with nicker in your trousers, a complete waste of time.’ Let’s do something!”

 

“Nicker?”

 

“Quid, pounds, money.”

 

“Oh. What would you suggest we do?”

 

“The security around here is too tight. If these miscreants haven’t tried to get to any of us here by now, they’re exploring other options. Let’s give them one.”

 

“I’ll be very surprised if you don’t have something in mind. What is it?”

 

With a mischievous smile she said, “How about a picnic in Perrington Park? I know of a large secluded area there with lots of bushes and trees that has a cleared section with some picnic tables and benches. When the park first opened, it was the only area set aside for picnicking. People use to ride their horses in the park and stop there to put the feedbag on. There are miles of equestrian trails and footpaths throughout the park, but they are seldom used now because more acreage was added to the park and now there are tennis courts, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, soccer fields, horseshoe pits, a club house where folks can go to shoot pool, play shuffleboard, shoot darts, play cards and other indoor games, a large indoor swimming pool and a snack bar to occupy the visitors.

 

We wouldn’t have to worry about anyone else getting hurt and the site would provide great cover for a contingent of armed professionals, SWAT personnel, Army Rangers, whatever. “This scenario would ooze temptation from every conceivable angle. We would all be in one place at the same time and in a secluded place without any witnesses. The brush and trees would also provide the ideal cover for these animals to do their stalking. What do you think?”

 

“How do you know so much about this park? It’s a ways from the city and a little off the beaten path. I only know about it because it was in the news a while back when a motorcycle gang rode into the park and started harassing the visitors. When the manager of the park confronted them and told them to leave, they tried to run him down with their bikes. Fortunately for the manager, an off duty cop was in the park with his family and wound up shooting the leader of the gang. Someone had called 911 and before the rest of the gang could haul butt the Illinois State Police had closed off the exit to the park and arrested them all.”

 

“You get around in my business, Joel. I found about the park when I was tailing the husband of a client of mine who suspected her husband was cheating on her. He was. Big time. She got $1.5 million dollars out of the philanderer and I got my fee and knowledge of the park. I used to go there a lot before I hooked up with Sentry.”

 

Joel liked the idea and said so. “I think the Rangers are the best trained and most capable of doing what we need them to do. They are masters at camouflage and moving around without being noticed and they are experts in all kinds of fighting, including hand-to-hand. Whether it’s one person or a group that comes after us, we’ve got to capture somebody that can lead us to the vultures that spawned this plot against the American people. If anyone can do that and scare the daylights out of whoever is captured into giving us information that will enable us to close this chapter in American history, it’s the Rangers.

 

“I’m sure our office is under surveillance, so it should be easy for us to get the word out that we’re planning a picnic and when and where. You and I could walk down to the corner deli and order food for the picnic and while doing so tell the person serving us as well as anyone who might be within hearing distance what we’re going to do. No special occasion, just want to get back to enjoying normal, fun things again.

“Today’s Tuesday, so let’s plan the outing for this Saturday, rain or shine. We can bring portable propane grills for cooking or heating anything up and outdoor canopies for inclement weather.”

 

Back to her positive, optimistic self she said, “Hell, if we don’t attract anything but ants at least we’ll have had a nice picnic. It’s a win-win all the way.”

 

“I’ll run your idea by Hank and if he gives it his stamp of approval ask him to arrange for a Ranger unit to contact us so we can work out the details. He may shoot it down because the only thing between life and death for us will be the Rangers. It’s the beginning of July, so wearing clothing that covers protective gear is out of the question. That would be a red flag to anyone contemplating committing bodily harm. Whichever way he decides to go, Barb, you’ve demonstrated that there are things we can do to make things happen while having some control over the outcome. I’ll make sure I point that out to him.”

 

“Oh, aren’t you sweet. Do you want to be president of my new fan club? I think I’ll call it ‘Barb’s Boosters’. I need all the good publicity I can get after my fiasco with Perry.”

 

Joel laughed and said, “I wouldn’t worry about that. If I know Hank, he’s already put that in his circular file where it belongs. Perry was out of line and everybody at that meeting knows it. Even Perry seems to have changed his attitude where you are concerned, so forget it ever happened.”

 

“I hope you’re right. I’d kind of like to stick around here for a while. I’ve met this terrific hunk of sugar which I’ve become addicted to and although highly caloric it causes nothing to expand but one’s love and affection. I’m told this kind of weight gain is very good for the heart.”

 

With a big smile on his face Joel responded with, “No one can spew malarkey like the Irish and I’m a sucker for it. You want to go someplace and fool around?” Before she could come back with one of her funny wisecracks, the mood was shattered when there was a knock on the door. It was Hank.

 

“I’m sorry to bother you two, but I’m going bonkers sitting around waiting for something to happen. There’s got to be a way to get these people to make a move on us. Although we’ve increased security around here, most of the tightening is not readily seen. We’ve stayed with our normal schedule and routine which when observed from the outside should appear to present some very tempting opportunities, but these people either don’t see them or don’t like the risk they’d be taking. I was hoping our trumped-up email would have shaken them up enough to be willing to throw some caution to the wind and try to take us out while we were all in the office. I thought the opportunity to remove us from the playing field in one fell swoop would be all the temptation they would need. It looks like I was wrong.”

 

“Joel responded with, “Well, your timing couldn’t have been any better.”

 

“Actually, Hank, your timing sucks, but I’m not willing to risk life and limb to tell you that.”

 

“We were just about to come see you with an idea Barbara has come up with that we think will get the job done.”

 

Taking turns, they filled Hank in on what they had been talking about, but the blank look on his face gave no clue as to whether or not he was buying any of what they were trying to sell. As Joel had anticipated, Hank wasn’t happy with the risk his team would have to take to make this work.

 

For the next ten minutes he paced the floor and mumbled to himself and then he quietly said, “I think it’s got a good chance of working. If the rest of the team agrees to stick their necks out, I’ll call the President and ask him to secretly arrange for a Ranger unit to contact me immediately so we can get this trap of yours set up ASAP.” We’ve got to bring this whole mess to a head before this country starts to fall apart at the seams. I strongly believe that the cessation of attacks by The Last Resort is just a short term lull, a temporary respite. I think they’re gearing up for a major offensive that will be worse than anything we’ve experienced so far and its launch is imminent. We’ve got to get these bastards before they get us.”