Massive Attack (A Guy Niava Thriller Book 1) by Dana Arama (e reader for manga .txt) 📗

She indicated “yes” by closing her eyelids. I pulled the covers over her and she remained with her eyes closed.

“I have to call an ambulance. You can’t stay like this.”

She didn’t answer. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed 911. I gave the address and hung up. I had a few minutes to coax her and try to find clues in her place.

“Ashley, do you know who did this to you?”

She turned her head and refused to look at me. I pressed on. “Did he take Jonathan with him? You have to answer me. Do you know who it was?”

She raised one of her shoulders and added a shake of her aching head. A single tear fell down her cheek, and her small body wracked with sobs.

“Soon they will come and take you away from here. You’ll be treated and feel better.” I wasn’t sure she had heard me, but I felt the need to comfort her.

I quickly and quietly scanned her tiny apartment. Desperate, I even searched her closet, as if the miracle from yesterday would repeat itself, but Jonathan wasn’t there. Neither was his bag.

Damn it, I thought, they’d managed to catch him. But who were ‘they’ and where had they taken my nephew? I had hoped that Ashley could help me with that, but Ashley had to get to the hospital immediately and I needed to track Jonathan. My starting point must be at the casino.

***

I assumed that a police car would come along with the ambulance. So, until the rescue squad arrived I continued to search the apartment. My first instinct was to take Ashley’s cell phone, because it could be my first source of information, but I knew the police would want it too and my action would be seen as intrusive interference with a crime scene.

I went outside and phoned my boss again. I didn’t know where he was in the world or if he went to sleep after our last conversation, but the hour wasn’t important.

“I have a problem,” I said, by way of an opener.

“What happened?”

“My nephew, the one that decoded those lists, has been kidnapped.” Before he managed to ask, I added, “I didn’t see the kidnapping happen, but the signs are there.”

“How can I help?”

“I am requesting direct access to all the information that the police and FBI gather here. Could you arrange that?”

“I will pull some strings.”

“To what extent and to whom can I divulge the subject of us?”

“The information has been passed on. It isn’t a secret. Are you planning on paying the casino a visit?”

“Yes,” I answered with certainty.

“Is there any way I can deter you from doing it?”

“Not really. Is there a chance of organizing a sketch of the structure?”

“The gambling business is supposed to be legal in the United States. If you suspect something that smells like ‘mafia’... and it makes no difference which one, I request you to leave.”

He hadn’t replied about the sketch, but I knew that if it was possible, I would receive it as soon as possible.

“I can’t leave it be.”

“You will have to, because we can’t allow ourselves to get involved with a case like this in the United States. In this case, leave and contact the office. If it comes to getting mixed up with the mafia, I will try and put you in contact with Zorro.”

“Zorro?” I asked, surprised.

“Alex Romanekov. Nicknamed ‘Zorro’. Unfortunately, not one of our forces anymore. A complex character because of their connections with the different cartels. The character who connects the different mafias there. With Alex, deals are sealed, that’s where everything is stored, firearms, drugs, until the deal is settled. One can launder money with Alex. And so on. Zorro owes me big time. This seems like a good time to collect the favor.”

“Just send me the details and I will contact Zorro.”

“It’s not so easy. I need to reconnect with an old contact of mine in the CIA and maybe if Alex is still under his surveillance, he will know how to make contact. As soon as I know anything more, you’ll hear from me.”

From a distance, I could hear the siren of the ambulance I’d called. The police patrol car was seconds behind. When I saw Ashley being taken away on the stretcher, I left the area as well, directly to the casino. I looked at my watch. I had wasted ten minutes more than I had wanted to here. Because every second was critical, in order to find Jonathan, I had postponed the hardest mission of all -- notifying his parents that he had disappeared.

Laura Ashton

Relaxation room at the headquarters of the Strategic Coordination Office between the United States security agencies and the foreign intelligence agencies, November 11, 13:50 hours.

Director of National Intelligence (DNI)

I was in the middle of a dream when the phone rang. I didn’t want to answer, not because I worked the whole night but because after such a long time, I was back with them… with all of them. Dad looked like he did the day of the accident, in his New York Police Special Forces uniform. Mom was wearing her blue dress with the big flowers. Steven was in his military army uniform from the boarding school, and Gail was a pretty three-year old little girl. In my dream we were driving on the same road as before. There we are driving under the bridge with the purple lights, and Mom points to them and calls out to me to take a look, and I turn my head but then I catch Gail in my sights. In my dream she doesn’t suddenly start vomiting and her face is rosy and pink as always, Mom and Dad don’t turn their heads towards her suddenly and Dad’s hand doesn’t jerk the steering wheel all of a sudden towards the oncoming truck… in my dream, the truck carries on driving next to us and the sound of his blaring, warning