The Search for Scorpio - Ch. 11

The Search for Scorpio

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events, is purely coincidental. This work is copyrighted by the author. All characters involved in sexual activity are eighteen years of age or older at the time of portrayal.

This is the continuing adventure of Hannah Todd. I would strongly recommend you read at least some of "The Bridge," "Badass," "The Auction," "Simon," "Doyle," "Todd's Odds," and, "The Agents," which provide the backstory for most of the characters in this story. And if you've been reading me, thank you for your continued support. Your comments are priceless, so please leave your wisdom so I might improve my writing and your reading experience.

The Search for Scorpio - Part Eleven

After Duane and I let our bodies catch up with each other, we talked about the mission. I caught him up about the status of the mission as we lie there, heads on the pillow, looking lovingly into each other's eyes.

Satisfied that we had given each other our all, we decided, instead of rolling over and going to sleep, that we would throw our robes on and check in at The Closet. We especially wanted to know the status of Alec and Anthony to see if they had a handle on that truck we had been trying to follow.

Heath, who was temporarily camping out in one of the guestrooms, was there with Danny, and they were in direct contact with Alec when we entered The Closet. According to Danny, our guys had spotted what they thought was the truck, but lost it before it jumped onto the highway. At least that was where they thought it went, and were attempting at this time to follow it to its destination.

The boys thought it would be heading either north or south on Route 309, and decided to go south toward Quakertown, with the hope of picking up the trail. Oddly enough, they saw what they thought was an exact duplicate of the truck heading north as they passed Reservoir Road. It was miles before they could turn around so they did so at the first available exit. Their goal was to go back to the point of origin near the target house so that they might be able to find the truck again and do a better job of following it. Hopefully, they would catch it with a drone and track it that way.

In talking to the guys in The Closet, they thought the truck was the single means of supplying the place where Scorpio was hiding out. If we could confirm that our search would be over and it would be time to hand over what we found to the F. B. I. To obtain that information, we'd have to get one of our little drones into that place and verify that this was indeed Scorpio's lair.

In the meantime, the Eagle drone we had sent earlier had partially done its job. It dropped two Wasp drones onto the property, but neither made it into the house. At least not yet. The one, however, was postured to enter the building if someone opened a door or window. Probably a door.

Along with Heath, we watched on one of the monitors one outside drone as it made its rounds showing that there was indeed a military-type presence on the property. Armed guards both sat at the front door and maneuvered around the property looking for any threats.

Danny had one mission this night. That was to fly the other Wasp drone into the building. He kept a close watch on the monitor to look for an opening, but none at this time was to be had.

At this time, we had two crews out there attempting to find and follow the truck we had spotted delivering to the location. And they were starting to wear out. So we called in Alec and Anthony and had them head home. In their place, we sent out Ali and Archer. Archer for his skill behind the wheel and Ali because, as well as his translating skills, was a top-notch tech.

We would have a full contingent of operators for The Closet in the morning, what with Stella, Rhee Spanner's ace technician, staying over with Lizzie, all cuddled up in one of the guest rooms. We would have four or five operators, truly a crowd, in The Closet tomorrow and, come hell or high water, we were going to get a drone into that house.

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Having been up until after two in the morning, I slept in. Barely taking the time to kiss the kids and send them off to school.

At ten I got up, checked in at The Closet and stumbled down the stairs to the kitchen where Bertha had my coffee ready and was prepared to cook me anything I desired for breakfast. Being voracious, both due to my late night and my prior activity with my lover, I chose the full breakfast.

I don't know when Duane left for the office but it must have been early. I don't know where he finds the energy to wake up early, work out, and then head to the office for a full day of work. But I called him just to make sure he was okay.

"You must be tired, Duane. When did you finally wake up?"

"Usual time. I'm on maybe three, four hours of sleep. I got a few winks when Ronnie drove me down to the yard. But I have to admit, I'm not at my best today. Herman is really carrying the load."

Just as I was finishing my conversation with Duane and my last bite of bacon, I heard a voice from upstairs. It was Lizzie. "Hannah, get up here. We need you."

I ended the call with Duane, grabbed the extra coffee pot and my cup and ran up to The Closet. I arrived just in time for Stella to point at the monitor for the drone that had just breached the perimeter of the house and was now inside.

"Miss Todd," Stella said. "We're in, and I'm flying the drone. As you can see, I'm on the first floor and I'm looking for an office of any sort."

"How did you get in, Stella?"

"Changing of the guard. As one group left and another entered, the drone went into hiding in the jacket pocket of one of the guards. At the right time, I had it fly off, and you can see what this place looks like inside now. We just have to find the right location to stop and watch, without getting caught."

Then Danny called out from another position, where he was monitoring the outside drone. "The truck is coming back, and it looks like it's heading for the garage. I'm moving to intercept so we can see what comes out of this truck."

I immediately moved over to that monitor and, indeed, the truck was being parked in the garage. Two men jumped out of the truck and opened the back doors. The truck was loaded with goods and supplies to fortify the venue. There were no guns or weapons of any sort at this time.

The two men were joined by two others, and they unloaded the truck and took the items to various locations, but mostly to pantries and refrigerators located inside the garage. Once they were fully involved with unloading the truck, Danny flew the drone through the truck cab's open window and landed it under the drivers seat. From here we would be able to ascertain the GPS coordinates and hear any conversation taking place in the truck's cab. Danny's job was done... For now.

In the meantime, Stella was still seeking a good landing place and decided on a room that seemed an awful lot like an office. There was a desk, three chairs and a sofa. And book cases all around. There was a computer at the desk with a large monitor front and center. Could this be the place from which Scorpio commanded his realm?

Now all we could do was wait. Needless to say, I was on pins and needles. Were we really this close or was this just a false positive leading to a dead end? I don't like dead ends. I'm not used to them.

Alec showed up around noon, refreshed and ready to go. He said Anthony was not far behind him and that they were ready to get back on the road and track that truck. Alec had the Chevy and Stella joined him at the car to make sure he was set up to track both Wasp drones if necessary, with emphasis on the drone hidden in the cab of the truck. When Anthony showed up, he was ready to go and I sent them on their way. Both to relieve Ali and Archer and to follow that truck.

I called over to the airfield and spoke with Juicy Jergensen, briefly. I wanted her on standby in case I needed her to observe from a thousand feet or so.

"Juicy, I want you and Caroline on standby with the Bell. Make certain you know the coordinates of the target venue so you can do a flyover if necessary. Please calculate the time it will take you to get there and back and let me know."

"What, no Little Bird this time?"

"Not this time, Juice. Too conspicuous. But make sure you two are armed when you go up. There could be some gun play involved if we don't do this right."

"Yes, ma'am. We'll be ready on your signal."

*Click*

Alright. My girls are ready to rock and roll, Anthony and Alec are on the road with backup, and I have two drones in play. We're as ready as we're going to be. So, I called Duane and filled him in.

"So, Hannah, do you think it's time to alert Davante? Do we have the right location?"

"Still not confirmed, my man. But I think we're close to knowing what we need."

No sooner had Duane said that, Lizzie called over to me. "Hannah, you have to see this."

I went over to the monitor that she and Stella were working on, and a man appeared on the screen and sat in front of the computer. Because of where the drone was positioned, we could not see his face, but when another man entered the room with him, he spoke. His voice was unmistakable. It was Scorpio. Alias Amherst Phybian, himself. Got him!

He was making a call, but not from a supercell. It appeared to be a burner phone of some sort. Old, almost ancient technology, but still operational in these tech heavy times.

"Who are you trying to reach, boss?" the other man asked.

"Fucking Simon. Simon Meachem. Three days I've been trying to reach him and nothing. No answer, nobody home. Goddam it!" And he threw the phone against the wall where it burst into pieces.

"Get me another fucking phone and get me Simon."

"What's with Meachem, boss?" the other man said.

"Let's just say he's my ace in the hole. I need safe passage, and Simon can get it for me."

"Yeah, boss, but nobody has heard from him since the big raid at the auction down south."

"Well, I believe Simon escaped from that. The feds don't have him and none of the local law enforcement has him, so he is out there, free range, and I need his help to join forces. Right now, we are not in the best of positions and we need the strength Simon can offer us."

Scorpio was in trouble. He knew it and now I knew it. If he is reaching out for Simon, a man I have had in custody all this time, he is truly desperate. And desperate men do desperate things. Time to call on Davante. Time for the F. B. I.

But first, a trip to my makeshift prison at the ranch. I called ahead to Felix and had Simon separated from the herd. He and I would have a little talk. Then, when Duane got home tonight, we would call Davante together and plan for the F. B. I. to take over.

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"Well, Simon, it appears you know more about our Scorpio than you are letting on. We're getting close to our goal, and we have it on good authority that he is looking for you. Now, isn't that a coincidence? Tell me, Simon, where the fuck is this guy? The right answer gets you your privileges back, and the wrong one makes your life more of a living hell than it has been. This is your one chance, Simon, and every minute your stock goes down a notch and life for you becomes worse than you can imagine. Are you going to be straight with me, or do I have to bring my Israeli friend in here to get me the answers I seek?"

"He's in Pottstown, PA. That's all I know. His head operative is a guy named Benson. Find Benson and you'll find Phybian. That's all I know."

"Oh, please. You know much more. Don't be shy. The Pottstown operation has been burned, and Benson is dead. You have to do better."

"I've been locked up here so long I don't know what information I could possibly possess. If I could speak to some of my contacts, I could do better. But..."

"No contacts... No buts."

I raised my wrist to my mouth and said, "Call Avi Gold."

"Yes, Miss Todd. This is Avi. How may I be of service."

"I need some help pumping Simon for some intel we know he is holding that could move us forward with our current investigation. You know which one. Can I have your services here at the ranch? I need you to really bring it."

"I'll be there in an hour. Will you still be there?"

"No, I'm heading home. But I need current location information and where he may run if he is cornered."

Simon sat stone faced staring at me with anything but love in his eyes. I left him there for Avi to deal with. And deal with him he would.

As Dom and I drove home, followed by the usual assault squad members, I called Duane to let him know we are close and that we had an audible confirmation of Scorpio's presence at the Limeport residence. He said it is definitely time to meet with Davante and get the F. B. I. on top of this.

When we got home and went upstairs to The Closet, Lizzie was monitoring the Eagle drone that had just flown over the property for the umpteenth time. During the two most recent sweeps she spotted cars arriving and leaving from the venue. No doubt a shift change. Liz noted that it was a full half hour between the times cars arrived and left. Assuming they were working twelve hour shifts, that gave us two times a day when Scorpio would be at full staff. This happened between the hours of two and three o'clock. If the feds struck these guys at 2:00 a. m. we would maximize how many bad guys we could lock down and lock up. Of course, this meant that is when they would be the most heavily armed and prepared for a fight.

I went downstairs to get a cup of coffee from Bertha, and my supercell rang. It was Duane.

"Hannah, Davante will be over at eight tonight. He already has assigned a team to this mission and is prepared to bring in hands from the Marshalls and other alphabet agencies. They know the basic mission, but don't know the location."

"Well, that's over tonight and no more excuses from the F. B. I. We're going to drop them on Scorpio like a fucking atom bomb. The sooner the better."

"You hold that thought and I will see you tonight. And I won't be late."

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Davante was bursting at the seams when he entered the kitchen of my home at a little after eight.

"Alright," he said. "We are ready to roll. Where is this guy?"

"Lehigh County. A town called Limeport, in the boonies," Duane said. "We don't have an address but we have exact coordinates. It appears to be only one building, so your efforts will be concentrated this time."

We hauled him into The Closet where Stella showed him footage of both the Eagle drone and the little Wasp drone planted in the office at the residence in Limeport. We transferred the coordinates to his supercell and sent him on his way with instructions to keep us in the loop.

Of course, we knew that the drones as well as the two teams out following the truck would keep things well monitored, so we were sure we'd be in the loop.

Once he had his marching orders and had transferred the data to his team, he was out of there in a flash. Home to Harley and the babies.

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Things were moving along nicely, and I wanted to get with Duane to share my latest idea about how we might approach this conundrum. So, before he left for the office down at the Navy Yard, I stopped him to give him my latest idea. Something to draw Scorpio into the open and make the F. B. I.'s job foolproof.

"Duane, I want to have Simon contact Scorpio and see if we can arrange a meeting. Something in a public space that would be amenable to all parties. Once Scorpio is out in the open, the feds can make short work of him."

"And how do you plan to arrange this? How are you going to get Simon out in the open without a breech in security?"

"I'll blow him up if I have to."

"Blow him up?"

"With your help, of course."

"How the hell...?"

"Here's what we'll do. First, we will have Simon contact June Alsop and ask for Phybian. When the two men are put into contact, we will arrange a meeting in a public place. Of course, Simon will have bodyguards, as will Scorpio, and Simon's bodyguards will all be our guys, so we can monitor the whole proceeding. That's when we bring in Davante, and as we are escaping with Simon, the feds will be on top of Scorpio and his goose will be cooked."

"You know, you may have something there."

"And I'll be there with them. I'll go in as his side piece. They'd expect that."

"Bull-Shit! You are not going into the middle of action. It's not your job," Duane said. "You are my anchor here. If you are there in the middle of it, how can I have sound judgment? Besides, he'd make you in a New York minute."

"You're right, Duane. Sometimes I take my eye off the bigger picture, and that's my fault. I need to do a better job of putting things into perspective. I can't do everything."

"That's right. Somebody has to see things from five thousand feet up, and that's you, Hannah. You're the big-picture person. You and Lizzie and the whole Closet crew. It's time to put it into overdrive, 'cause Scorpio is just a hair's breadth away. And you are just the gal to do it."

"Are you trying to get on my good side, 'cause I'm feelin it. If ya know what I mean?"

"Well, as the saying goes, keep it in your pants. We've got a mission to do and no hanky panky until the mission is done. I hope that inspires you as much as it does me."

"Everything about you inspires me, every single day."

Once Duane left for work, I called Felix at the prison. I told him to separate Simon from the rest as I would need to talk to him urgently.

"Yes, Miss Todd. I'll do it right away. When can we expect you?"

"In about an hour. I'm just waiting on Domingo right now."

"He'll be in one of the spare rooms, shackled. Do you want him dressed or undressed?"

"Dressed is fine. I just need him to do a job for me."

*Click*

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"Simon, let me tell you why I've called this meeting. I need you to do a job for me. How do you feel about a road trip?"

"Absolutely giddy. To get out of here for any amount of time would be a godsend."

"Good. Here is what's going to happen. You are going to contact your old friend Phybian's erstwhile secretary and arrange a phone call with him."

"Okay."

"Then you are going to schedule a time to meet with him in a public place."

"Why?"

"Because he is asking for you. I believe he is seeking an escape route and he thinks you are still free range and able to help him. He has no idea I've got you locked up."

"Aren't you concerned I'll flee?"

"Not even a little. Security protocols will be in place that will most assuredly guarantee that you will not run. So, Simon. You ready to make a phone call?"

After we agreed that he would make the phone call we reviewed a script I had written out for him to recite, and we practiced it into the afternoon. By 1:30 p. m. he was ready, and we made the call using a secure burner phone.

"Hello, may I speak with Miss June Alsop, please?"

"This is she. Who is this and how may I help?"

"My name is Simon, and I have it on good authority that your boss, Amherst Phybian, is looking to speak with me. Is it possible for you to make that connection for me. I'm sure he will be grateful if you do."

"I'd be happy to help, but I don't have his direct number."

"I understand there is a courier he works with and you may be able to arrange the call through him."

"I do have Mr. Fish's number. Do you think I should give him a call?"

"I'm sure Mr. Phybian would be grateful if you did."

"Is there a number where he can reach you?"

"I'm not at liberty to divulge that information, but I will call back tomorrow and hopefully you will have his number where I can call him back. Will that be satisfactory?"

"I guess that's fine. I'll call Mr. Fish this afternoon and get his counsel on the matter."

"Very good, Miss Alsop. Till tomorrow then."

*Click*

"Very fine, Simon," I said. "Tomorrow should bring a new dawn and a bevy of privileges just for you. Well, I'm sure Frankie will be pleased as well."

"Thank you, Miss Todd. But I don't understand..."

"Pawns don't have to understand, Simon. They just have to play their parts."

"Is that what I've come to?"

"Pretty much. Be happy, at least you are on the board."

When I finished with Simon he was taken back to his cell and we departed for the house, where I would call select members of my crew to a meeting to brief them on our next action. We'd meet at the end of business today at the usual place. The Greenhouse.

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Duane came home early to attend the meeting at the Greenhouse. I had alerted my first team and had them report at five. The whole team showed, even though all would not participate. I needed input from my best guys.

I stood before them and explained the mission and I believe everyone got it.

Rapper Malone spoke up first, when he asked about the concern that Simon would fuck this all up and maybe even try to run.

I spoke up as Duane smiled at me and then at the crowd.

"When Simon is brought to meet with Phybian, he will be wearing a well-secured diaper, with two ounces of plastic explosives set to a device that one of our operators will be carrying with him. That thing will be duct-taped on. It will most certainly assure his compliance."

Everyone got a good laugh out of that, but it got me a Hoorah from the gallery.

"Tomorrow Simon will be calling June Alsop for an update. I'm certain the connection with Phybian will be made sooner rather than later. We really hurt the man, and he is desperate."

So right there, before the meeting broke, we decided that Herman, Duane and Avi would be the visible bodyguards going with Simon. There would be two tables filled with our people as well. Juicy and Archer, and Caroline and Ronnie would be one table. And Ninja, Hoagie, Rapper, and Juan would be at another. Anthony and Alec would be stationed outside the Inn and would endeavor to place a GPS bug on Scorpio's vehicle. Whichever one he came out of.

The next day, Wednesday, we had Simon make the call to Scorpio. He called June Alsop's number and when she picked up the phone, she immediately handed the receiver to Gordon Fish, who was waiting patiently at the Alsop residence for Simon's call.

"Mr. Fish, this is Simon Meachem. I understand Amherst is trying to get hold of me. Can you make the connection?"

"Mr. Meachem, I've been instructed to conference you in to Mr. Phybian's phone. He'll be waiting for you."

"Gordon, I'm on the line," Phybian said. "Are you there, Simon?"

"Amherst, how are you doing old fellow? What can I help with?"

"Simon, I'm in deep shit and I'm looking for a pathway to freedom."

"Let's meet, and we can discuss it."

"I think that may be foolish. Let's just discuss it now."

"I don't think so. Some things are best dealt with face to face. This is one of them."

"Fine. What do you propose?"

Dinner was called for seven on Friday, September 14th. They would dine at the Red Lion Inn, in Quakertown. The little band will be playing and the place will be filled with people. We'll reserve three tables; one for the principals and two for bodyguards. Of course, Simon's bodyguards would be my best guys. Right there, ready to be in the middle of the action. Phybian bought it and the meeting was set.

On Friday evening, the meeting between Simon and Scorpio started cordially. As cordial as men with six bodyguards could be. They shook hands and glared at each other in the eye. Two cold fish floundering around on deck trying to make it back into the water.

You may want to know how I know this. Well, my husband is sitting next to Simon and shaking hands with the same people as head of Simon's security detail, which is filled with my best operatives. He and the other operators are wearing the ubiquitous comm-links we use on missions. That way we could hear everything being said at the meeting from the convenience of our very own videoconference room.

Scorpio immediately informed everyone at the table that beyond the three of his guards you could see there were more you couldn't. This did not come as a surprise, and we had the same contingency of unknown guards. Unknown to them.

Simon, his diaper in place and reminding him of the consequences of his choices, started the conversation.

"So, Amherst, it's my understanding that you wanted this meeting. I don't get out much these days, so it better be important."

"Oh, it's top of the list important. I'm feeling law enforcement breathing down my neck. I feel my freedom is in danger, and that is the most precious thing to me. I thought maybe I could head west, and maybe you could pave the way. I know you have... resources out there who may be amenable to my needs. I'm thinking of leaving the country as well."

"You are worried, old friend. Aren't you? You know anything is doable, but it is gonna cost ya."

"Money is not a problem. My resources are vast, but finite. I can afford bribes. I just can't afford to buy a whole country."

"Can you buy enough time to give me a day or two to work on it? Rome was not built in a day."

"Of course. I'm not aware of any imminent threat, but that could change in a heartbeat. Till then where will you be staying and how can I get hold of you?"

"Uh, uh, uh. Some things we don't discuss. I will call you in two days' time on your phone. I just need the number."

He gave that number up immediately. He must be desperate. Then Simon started to wing it.

"Tell me, Amherst, what is your plan? And how do I fit into it?"

"Well, Simon, I'm thinking of heading west, maybe even leaving the country. But I'd like to do it ASAP. Take this briefcase. It contains half a million dollars in gold certificates. Consider it a down payment to get the ball rolling. The number I gave you is to my supercell and goes directly to me. Give me enough time and I can make payment to you in any denomination or currency. Even precious metals if you wish. Make this happen, Simon, and I will be indebted to you for a long time."

Simon said, "I will do this as expeditiously as humanly possible. Two days. Be ready, and it's gonna take a lot more than a half a mil." Simon played his part well.

"Give me a number. Give me a form of payment you accept and it will be done."

"I appreciate you coming to me, Amherst. It means a great deal to me that you trust me. Two days. We'll talk then."

There wasn't much talking after that. It was a pretty decent meal and when Scorpio got up to leave, not only did his table get up, but two others did as well. It was like a tidal wave of a departure from the restaurant.

In the scramble to depart, Hoagie managed to lay a microphone under Phybian's lapel, and drop a tiny GPS device into his trousers pocket. He never saw it coming.