“Cassandra, hold on. Don’t leave me,” Roger pleaded.
Cassandra’s eyelids fluttered as if she were trying to communicate. In the distance they could hear the sirens approaching.
Akanami peered out the window. “The ambulance is here.”
The EMT’s slipped a backboard under Cassandra and lifted her on the gurney.
“You go with her,” Akanami ordered Roger. “She needs you now.”
* 2 *
“Hello, John. Long time no see.” Paul always disliked John Reed. He was happy to be taking ‘his sliminess’ off the street.
“Paul, so good to see you landed on your feet,” John Reed said sarcastically. “So Maria, where are you headed off to?”
“Austin, TX and you?” Maria was clever not implicating John Reed. Paul did notice they had identical bags.
* 3 *
Kevin was asleep by Ariel’s bed when Ariel quietly peeled back her hospital blanket. Ariel stared forward as if she were looking far in the distance.
“Inhoteph,” she whispered under her breath. Something, or someone, was beckoning her. She absently turned off the electronic monitoring equipment she was hooked up to and ripped off their leads and her IV. Ariel wandered out of the room unnoticed.
* 4 *
Devon was enjoying herself at the restaurant. She loved her Dad’s pizza and being with her friends was comforting.
In the background, the TV was showing the preseason baseball game. The words ‘BREAKING NEWS’ flashed on the screen. Devon saw huge flames, a brush fire, in the canyon a few miles out of town. A map was shown on the TV screen along with the wind direction.
“Val, isn’t that where we saw the Mini Cooper earlier?”
* 5 *
A second ambulance arrived for the Don. Akanami saw the EMT’s pull the sheet over the face of the Don. Now that the Don was out of the picture, she could get on with her next assignment.
“Hello, Ursula, may I speak with Agent Richter?” Akanami disliked Andy Richter with a passion, but he was a good handler, almost too good. He was always one step ahead of the game.
“Feng Feng, Agent Richter is unavailable right now, but he left word for you to go the Green Dragon Restaurant on Figueroa. You are to infiltrate their human smuggling operation.”
* 6 *
Captain Norse opened the cargo hold. If Don Soltero was not going to pay him, he’d make the delivery himself and keep the cash. “Okay, ladies, we’re going on a ride.”
* 7 *
Agent Simpson pulled his black 300 next to the van by the S.S. Cassandra and stepped out as his alter ego, Muhamid Elbari. Someone had just killed the Don and he didn’t stick around to find out who it was. As Elbari, the new owner of Junior’s Hardware, he had the best chance to rescue the victims that Soltero had sold him. His undercover ties to the bleeding heart activists at the ELF had let him forge those barer bonds. Too bad Shipman thought he could blackmail him for it. Carlos, his employee was the best candidate to take the fall for his murder, along with Capt. Norse.
* 8 *
John Reed had tried to implicate Carson West when he sold the first half of the crystal set diagrams to Muhamid Elbari. But he wouldn’t accept the obviously fake bonds Elbari tried to use as payment. He had demanded payment into his account in the Caymans instead for the second half. The payment never arrived. Now here was Paul Syler trying to delay Maria Antonia at the terminal, like he was some kind of cop.
“Paul,” began Reed, “you’re always acting like some kind of superhero. But you’ve got it all wrong. Again.” He put his arm around Paul and slipped a few drops of deep narcotic on the back of his neck that would knock him out in two minutes. As Maria walked away, down to their gate, Reed steered Paul into the nearest bathroom and proceeded to help him into a stall to sleep it off. He wouldn’t wake for at least three hours. It was just too easy. That poison ring she’d given him was a good call.
* 9 *
Ariel had gotten dressed and quietly took the airline tickets from Kevin’s jacket and had slipped away by taxi, train and was now on a boat bound for Alexandria. When they docked in the morning, she would catch the train for Cairo and begin her reign of Egypt and soon the world.
* 10 *
The TV showed new angles of the “Arroyo Canyon Fire.” Brian Evans just got his first field assignment. He secured his fire jacket and held his microphone close as the winds raged around the scene.
“Firemen have been fighting the Arroyo Canyon Fire, just north of Eastvale since 3:00am. But the strong winds blasting through the canyon aren’t helping. Combined with the excessive brush that grew from last winter’s heavy rains, they say it’s going to be a tough one to control. Behind me, you can see the water filled choppers and planes dropping loads of water to stem the spread of the flames. What began as a car’s backfire or perhaps a tossed cigarette is now a raging inferno! This is Brian Evans reporting from Arroyo Canyon. Julie, back to you…”
“Thank you, Brian,” said Julie Novak, anchor for Twelve News. “…And in further developments in Darfur…” Julie thought Brian did well for a blond airhead.
* 11 *
Jimmy West inspected the vines of his Merlot quadrant, the full, black little pearls gleamed in the morning sun. But he couldn’t get his mind off the idea that his brother Carson had had their senile grandmother killed. Besides inheriting, it would put her out of their misery, he often joked. Jimmy was stunned when it really happened at the 7-11.
* 12 *
Sister Margaret was kneeling in the pews of Church Einigen with her head bowed in prayerful meditation. It always gave her comfort listening to the breeze of the lake whistling through the rafters of the old church.
Her prayers were interrupted when Ariel opened the door to the church. Ariel gazed forward absently muttering, “Inhoteph … Alexandria … train … Cairo … pharaoh.”
“Come child, you’ll catch your death,” Sister Margaret closed the front door of the church and led her to the residences to get her a blanket. Ariel was shivering. Sister Margaret then noticed her bare feet and what appeared to be a hospital gown under Ariel’s coat.
* 13 *
Agent Simpson called Paul’s cell phone using the walkie-talkie feature but there was no response. He must be in trouble, he thought.
“Agent Richter,” he walkie-talkied his boss, “I think we have a problem at the airport. Halt all outbound flights.”
Agent Richter cursed under his breath. Nothing in this investigation was going right. “I’ll do what I can Agent Simpson.”
* 14 *
Maria Antonia and John Reed were sitting next to one another on the flight bound for Austin. Maria would feel much better once the plane took off. The anticipation of leaving Eastvale was overwhelming.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we will leave the gate once we have clearance. Until then, please be patient, stay in your seats and have your seatbelts fastened.”
* 15 *
CSI Lawson overheard Devon’s question to Val. “Detective Cranston, doesn’t Adriana Murphy drive a Mini Cooper?”
“Why, yes, she does?” Detective Cranston didn’t know what brought this up as he was preoccupied by Betty McDonald’s vivid green eyes.
* 16 *
Maria’s Mini Cooper was identical to Adriana’s. Adelle was very accommodating in swapping VIN plates on the dashboard with Maria. Now Adriana’s Mini Cooper was on a carrier truck on the I-10 leaving Arizona/entering New Mexico on its way to Austin.
* 17 *
Feng Feng made her way to the Green Dragon. “May I have a job application?” she said in her heaviest Chinese accent.
“I’m Mr. Liu. This is my restaurant. Why you want to work for me?” Mr. Liu’s curt questions took Feng Feng by surprise, but she being the professional that she was didn’t break character.
“My brother, just brought me over from Shanghai, and I need to work off the price of the journey.” She could see a twinkle in Mr. Liu’s eyes.
* 18 *
Nancy Gardner waited three hours for flight from Chicago bringing Kevin and his little dirt groupie, Ariel something. She had to get him to pay up his child support and alimony. But the flights came and went and there was no sign of Kevin. That bastard, she thought. When she inquired at the desk, she was told of a “schedule correction” in Rome causing a delay. She knew that was code for something bad happened.
* 19 *
Jimmy West watched the news, relieved the fire and wind had turn away from the Cabernet region of his Arroyo Verde vineyard. Located just above the western road that led to the upper dam, he drove out to check that it was safe. As he parked on the turnout, he happened to see the charred remains sitting in a torched Mini Cooper, in the ravine below. Whoever it had been, it was too late for them.
* 20 *
This can’t be happening, thought Maria Antonia as she listened to the airline’s PA. They were taxiing back to the terminal. John Reed was out of his seat and grabbing their carry-ons from the overhead. One of the flight attendants was coming up to him to urge him to get back in his seat.
“I need my pills,” he said forcefully. She stayed as he sat back down, bags in his lap. She left. He undid both their seatbelts and took her hand. “Follow me when I say.”
* 21 *
Feng Wu was her name in a previous mission, in China. Mr. Liu had given her an extensive menu to memorize for work tomorrow. He told her everyone started in the kitchen. But she was too pretty, and he was going to use her as waitress right off the bat.
* 22 *
The poor little thing was fast asleep. Sister Margaret took one of her hands and felt the chill. There was a medical band on her wrist. She pulled out a magnifying glass to read it, her eyes so old now. She dialed the telephone number for the Thun hospital on the band. The girl had walked so far in the cold air, no wonder she was delirious.
* 23 *
Captain Norse came down the boat ramp and waited near the van that had the young girls inside, ready for delivery. Agent Simpson had the looks that let him pass for Latin or Arabic lineage. He donned his Saudi head piece and grabbed the briefcase with the fake bonds. Maybe the good captain would fall for them and he could save the girls.
* 24 *
Agent Richter found Paul Syler by using the GPS feature of his phone, in the men’s room of the terminal. He was the one snoring up a storm in one of the stalls. He brought Paul to the security office and called for medical help.
They re-docked the plane. He ran to the gate to nab his prime suspects. All the passengers had disembarked. They weren’t here! He ran to the plane, flashing his badge and checked a locked door at the ramp’s elbow. Except for the crew, it was empty.
* 25 *
Maria Antonia and John Reed had been sitting in the last row of the airplane. While the rest of the passengers were exiting via the front of the 727, they slipped unnoticed to the rear of the plane where John Reed opened the trap door to the baggage compartment. Once they were both inside John shut the trap door.
* 26 *
“Muhamid Elbari, my good friend, and I do mean good friend,” began Captain Norse, “I cannot accept anything but cash for my valuable cargo. I suggest you take your bearer bonds to the bank and maybe they will exchange them for you, no?”
Dejected Muhamid Elbari walked away with his attaché case of useless paper. From his car he watched Captain Norse drive away in the van. Elbari decided to follow from a safe distance.
* 27 *
The warning sirens were going off all around the mountainous area of Thun. There had been a horrible avalanche near the hospital. Power and phone service were completely shut off for those near the avalanche site. It would take days before service was restored.
Sister Margaret got the “unable to complete your call” message from her phone call to the hospital. I guess, she held the magnifying glass to the wristband again, Ariel is in my care for now she thought.
* 28 *
“Feng Wu, we have a delivery!” Mr. Liu shouted. “Prepare the upstairs bedrooms.”
Feng Wu went up the stairs for the first time. The hallway was dimly lit with ten rooms on either side. She opened the first door. Inside was such a small room for someone to live in, big enough only for a twin bed and small night stand with a lamp. Feng Wu put fresh sheets on the bed and cleaned the room for the arrivals.
* 29 *
Jimmy West called the police to report the Mini Cooper he saw. Detective Cranston got the phone call from the station. He filled in the others at the dinner table. CSI Lawson suggested they question the kids at the next table to see what they saw earlier.
* 30 *
“This is Brian Evans reporting from the upper dam. I have with me Barry Salinger, the structural engineer for the county.
Barry, has the fire damaged the upper dam in any way?”
“Well, Brian, it will take a few hours to analyze all the data, but we did see a few hairline cracks near the base of the dam. We don’t know if these are due to the fire or not, but we will be monitoring the situation around the clock.”
“Barry, our viewers want to know if the town of Eastvale is in any danger from the catastrophic failure of the dam.”
“Brian, we will know more once we have all our equipment in place.”
* 31 *
Kevin really didn’t know where to begin, but was pretty sure Ariel was on the train to Bern. An avalanche had downed power lines all around Lake Thun and the heavy snow was biting his face. He made his way to the train depot but found neither signs of Ariel, nor anyone who had seen her. The police weren’t any help, with their hands full of emergencies. He took the next northbound train and hoped she was warm enough, wherever she was.
* 32 *
Jimmy West watched the coroner’s van take away the remains of the body. Det. Cranston poked around the car’s burned interior and found some melted silver embedded with a few diamonds, next to a similar puddle of pure gold as much as a wedding ring might leave. Then the earth shifted hard, knocking them down. They watched as water in the dam began to geyser up and head for the lower dam. The crew from 12News scrambled back to their truck as the rumble cracked the dam open. Well there goes the Cabernet, Jimmy thought in horror. He guessed it was a 6.5 quake as he jogged down to help the engineer, cameraman and reporter grasping a grapevine already under the water.
* 33 *
Agent Simpson had wiped away the tan makeup from his face, but left the goatee. After locating the restaurant as the drop off, he drove around the corner and parked the Chrysler 300 out of sight. He lit a cigarette and walked across the street as two well dressed, middle aged Asian men entered despite the “Closed” sign. He decided to go in and get a look around. The place was filled with a dozen men in suits, smoking heavily and sipping tea. All heads turned to glare at the only white guy to ever enter.
“We closed!” yelled a little man in the stained kitchen apron, he pushed Simpson out. “You come back five o’clock!” He locked the door and shook the sign for emphasis.
* 34 *
Nancy was frantically trying to get through to Kyle but with the earthquake none of her calls were going through. She ran towards the exit of the airport, but so was everyone else in the airport. It was turning
into a stampede. Nancy lost her balance when she was shoved by the rest of the mob. Her face hit the tile floor hard, splitting open her chin. Blood was everywhere, but nobody was stopping to help. She drifted off into unconsciousness as she was trampled.
* 35 *
The taxi Maria was in reached the “Mile-High Overpass” on highway 60 just as the 5.3 aftershock hit. With the earlier 6.5 earthquake the overpass was substantially weakened. A 20 foot section in at the highest portion of overpass fell to the valley below. The taxi driver tried to stop but followed the failed section of bridge to the bottom of the valley.
* 36 *
Agent Richter found John Reed and called for an ambulance. It would be a while with the earthquake so he was forced to treat the suspect himself. John Reed’s breathing was shallow; his heart rate was showing increasing signs of tachycardia.
“I need a defibrillator NOW!” Agent Richter said loudy.
* 37 *
Feng Feng peered out the window of the second story of the Green Dragon. She saw Agent Simpson walking to his car. He looked up to the window where she was and Feng Feng nodded to let him know all was going to plan.
Just then, the earthquake hit hard in Chinatown. The third story of the Green Dragon building collapsed in front of Agent Simpson’s eyes. Feng Feng was no longer to be seen.
* 38 *
“This is Brian Evans with the latest on the earthquake. The Upper Dam has collapsed. It is strongly recommended that all residents in the north-east area of Eastvale head for higher ground…” the radio blared.
The electricity at Isola d’Elba went out when the earthquake struck. The front window had shattered and Betty MacDonald caught a shard of glass to the neck. Tony brought Detective Cranston some clean towels to help stop the bleeding.
“This is CSI Lawson, we need an ambulance at Isola d’Elba in Canyon Plaza.”
* 39 *
Christian Darby had a blaring headache. The taxi had landed nose down, his head resting on the deployed airbag. The cab had ridden on the slab of concrete one quarter mile down to the gulley floor. He wasn’t sure if his fare had survived the fall, but there was a pool of blood on the plexiglass divider. By habit, most customers never bother to put on their belts. He got up through the divider and saw his passenger had a tote in her arms.
* 40 *
The bleeding had stopped on Betty’s neck and CSI Lawson was still applying good pressure to the wound. Where’s that damned ambulance?
“I did a stint as a medic,” said Tony. For almost a full tour, he had trained in combat medicine in the first Gulf War. “She seems to be doing okay, but I’d rather assume her injury is not as superficial as it seems.” Gabriel Lawson leaned back and let Tony do his best, making sure Betty was comfortable until help came.
* 41 *
Det. Robert Jones had to scurry up the boulders that lined the canyon, above the road. He watched his car swept away by the angry lahar of debris, rocks and water from the upper dam. His evidence was gone for sure, but he was concerned for the people downstream and his phone was on the fritz, a cell tower had likely gone down as well. Some of the motel was still standing. He saw shadows moving in the upper windows.
* 42 *
Ariel woke in the tiny room lit by only one candle and tried to imagine how she had come here. It wasn’t the hospital and there was no one around. There was a carved cross on the wall. She could tell the carving was by an artisan of Swiss or Italian ancestry. Then it all came back to her. She’d been in a plane crash with Kevin. Where was Kevin? A nun in a gray and white habit entered and began to speak to her in Italian.
“Cara Mia, comei stai?” Ariel understood, My dear, how are you?
* 43 *
The broken asphalt had swallowed Agent Simpson’s car leaving only the right front fender visible above the street. He climbed out and watched the group of smuggled girls huddling in the middle of the street. There was no sign of Feng Feng and the brick building had been torn in half. He ran past the shattered door and prayed she was alright. He saw the kitchen ablaze and the remains of a burning body pinned under the stove. It was a man’s body, probably the owner. Then he eyed her diminutive hand, hanging from the third floor hallway. The stairs were gone but he had to get to her before the fire did.
* 44 *
Chris Darby checked the lady’s pulse, there wasn’t one. She was so pretty too and it seemed such a waste. He got the nerve to search her things. He found her ID and boarding pass for a flight to Austin and a couple of voodoo dolls. He opened a corner of her carryon and found bundles of $100s. In her condition, he knew she wasn’t going to miss them. That was when he realized he was bleeding from a gash over his left eye.
* 45 *
It had been 3 years since the kidnapping of his daughter in Eastern Kenya. She had been on a humanitarian mission helping the impoverished villagers on the outskirts of Lamu. Agent Simpson pleaded with Carina not to go…
“It’s too dangerous for a young woman to be travelling alone,” Agent Simpson told her.
“I won’t be alone. I’m going with the Church group. We are going to make a difference, Dad.” Carina always was a stubborn one.
Now, he could see her hand dangling from the third floor hallway of the collapsed Green Dragon.
* 46 *
Chris Darby climbed out of the rear window of the cab making it to the street level. In tow was the duffel bag of money he took from Maria. Click!
“Turn around slowly, and leave the bag on the ground,” Toby ordered. “Is that your bag?”
“Finders keepers… Besides the woman, she’s dead.” Chris Darby justified.
“Not anymore it’s not.” Toby fired the round at the cab driver’s forehead grabbing the bag of stolen $100 bills.
Darby had no idea he’d been followed for the last 10 miles. Toby knew he couldn’t trust Maria. He knew what they had was too good to be true.
* 47 *
Ariel tried to get up, but the restraints held her firmly in place.
“Those are for your own protection. I didn’t want you wandering about in the cold.” Sister Margaret told this to Ariel, yet she did nothing to remove them now that she was awake.
“Let me out!” Ariel demanded.
“Not just yet. You might work out perfectly….” Sister Margaret’s thought trailed off, but the gears in her head were turning.
* 48 *
“Carina?” a weak voice was heard from the second story. “Carina?”
Agent Simpson recognized the voice. “Feng Wu? Is that you?” He didn’t know why he was still using her cover identity except for habit. This mission surely was blown to bits now.
“Mr. Elbari? Please help. Get me something to use as a ladder.” Feng Feng lifted the heavy beam that fell across her legs but to no use. She was too weak and didn’t have the leverage she needed to free herself.
* 49 *
“This is Brian Evans with Twelve News with the latest update on the earthquake. The lower dam seems to be holding up, but the upper dams collapse has put quite a stress on it. The floodgates have been opened to relieve some of the stress. The fire department has confirmed the fire, reported the day before the earthquake, was started by a Mini-Cooper crashing off the road in Arroyo Verde. Now back to you, Julie.”
* 50 *
“I don’t care what it takes, Johnny,” Julie Novak yelled, “or who you have to screw. You get me on that chopper NOW!” She was furious. The biggest brown-noser, Brian Evans was getting more and more field time than she ever had. Dan Rather, Katie Couric, and even Brian Williams only got their key promotions after they had logged major field time. She was fed up with the slot that no one and his brother watched.
Johnny Wood knew she was after the prime anchor seat and if he got her on the helicopter, she would take him with her. The quake was the best and biggest chance to make it happen. Besides, Danny Owens, the pilot owed him big time.
* 51 *
Det. Jones thought back to when his father had brought him fishing here as a kid. They’d stay at the Journey’s End and be on the water before sunup. The reservoirs got stocked every spring with bass and trout from Pacific Northwest farms. Now it would be a couple of years before the waters could keep any good stock. He watched the motel’s survivors as they climbed up the sturdy roof. Odd things floated by including a fire roasted Mini-Cooper, a fridge and an outhouse. They were over the worst of it, as the muddy water ran down in the late afternoon. Years ago, he would have been on that boat with his feet hanging over the edge, his pole in the water and his dad handing him another cool root beer.
* 52 *
Agent Simpson had found his way up to the third floor, and with Feng Feng’s help, removed the timber off his daughter’s legs. She would be bruised for a couple of weeks, but other than that, she seemed in good shape. If only she would come to.
* 53 *
Paul Syler had managed to find his way to a stable doorway in the airport complex in order to avoid being crushed by the steel and glass coming down everywhere. Swarms of people were rushing by and not caring about anything but themselves. Others were knocked to the ground and crushed in the stampede for the parking arena. That’s when he recognized her, the mother of his son’s best friend, Nancy Gardner. She had fallen just inches from where he stood. He grabbed her blouse and pulled her out of the human meat grinder. She seemed to be having trouble breathing and maybe a cracked rib, but he did what he could to keep her comfortable.
* 54 *
Charlie had just left for work when the quake hit. Devon and Val were hanging out and downloading tunes at the Pierce’s hillside home. The twins had the Queen Anne’s attic divided in two rooms. With Val’s room facing the greater LA valley, they could see Malibu on those rare clear days, like today.
But a gas leak exploded, taking out the back of the house, including Charlie’s room. Dr. Pierce had the foresight to install a rugged sprinkler system when he bought the place, which saved the rest of the house. Between shakes, Val and Devon had gotten out and found the gas main, closing it off. Looking around the rubble, they found a taped up shoe box with a gun and ski mask, and a duffle full of $100 bills.
“I recognize that mask,” Devon said with tears in her eyes.
* 55 *
Chris Darby had always been the squeamish type, high-strung with jittery nerves. It was for that reason that Chris Darby lost consciousness before the fluorescent green paint-ball struck his forehead. He woke up from his self-induced fainting spell wiping away the thick heavy liquid from his eyes. Much to his surprise to find it was just green paint.
He looked around for the sight of the man that robbed him, but Toby had fled the scene on his Harley.
* 56 *
Devon was hysterical and beginning to hyperventilate. “That’s the mask the killer used when he kill Mrs. Green! What’s it doing here?” Devon looked over to Val with a knowing look.
“Now Devon, I know Charlie has been a little odd lately but do you think he’d really ….” Val was in disbelief, yet all the evidence was convincing.
“I’m calling Detective Jones,” Devon said as she flipped open her cell phone.
* 57 *
Nancy coughed up a big bubble of blood. She was fading fast. She did manage to recognize Paul as he held her. “Paul Syler, you’re such a good man.” She coughed some more. “When I’m gone, take care of Kyle for me. He is so fond of Josh…” She coughed again.
“Nancy, help is on the way. Don’t talk – you need to rest,” Paul was always good at comforting those in need.
Nancy coughed some more, even as the sirens could be heard in the distance. “I’ve got to leave now.” Nancy closed her eyes for the last time.
* 58 *
Agent Simpson and Feng Feng carried Carina around the corner to the surveillance house where everything at the Green Dragon was being monitored. Mrs. Chang, the mother of the house opened the door after Feng Feng gave the password.
“Mrs. Chang, you have to help Carina. She is vital to bringing down Don Soltero’s clan,” said Feng Feng with authority.
“No worry, Feng Feng. I have Chinese antidote in back.” Mrs. Chang disappeared for a moment and came back with a hot tea pot. “You hold her up so she can sip the tea.”
Feng Feng did as she was instructed. Mrs. Chang held the porcelain tea cup to Carina’s lips. Carina’s lips sought out the warm tea and soon she was sipping. Carina’s eyelids fluttered a bit and then she asked, “Where am I?” She looked around and recognized her father. “Father?”
* 59 *
Julie, Danny and Johnny were flying in the helicopter over where the Mile-High Overpass collapsed. As Johnny, the cameraman, focused on the taxi at the bottom of the basin, a flash caught Julie’s eye. This was followed by someone getting on what appeared to be a motorcycle.
“Focus on the motorcycle and get in a close as possible,” Julie ordered.