Assassin 3 - The Wrong Man (Assassin Series) Read online

  Jake was already ahead of her. “Exactly, If we’re being chased and fired on by every law enforcement officer in the British Isles, what harm would it do to have a well-aimed CIA bullet inconspicuously in the mix, making sure that we are taken out, with some over-zealous Brit being blamed for taking the shot!”

  Sarah shook her head incredulously. “Those callous, devious....!” her voice trailed away.

  He looked at her and gave that invincible smile. “Well, guess what, just two more obstacles to take care of, but two obstacles who haven’t a clue we’re sittin’ on their ass!”

  She smiled. “Very true!”

  CHAPTER 22

  In the red VW up ahead, Steve and Jane were not the least surprised that Jake and Sarah had given the cops the slip. As they drove along, they had been listening in on the police band with the special receiver provided by their UK agency colleagues. Steve looked at Jane. “That Jake is just too damned smart for these Brits.”

  She nodded. “I agree, so, where d’you think he is now?”

  Steve thought a moment. “My guess is he’s heading northwest.”

  “What makes you say that?” she asked

  Steve was an old hand at tracking his prey and he explained his logic. “Well, if we assume that perhaps he was framed for the attempted hit on the Queen and for the bank robbery, now that it looks like these RIRA guys are involved, and quite frankly I just don’t see Jake getting tangled up with them,” he continued thinking aloud. “Let’s face it, Jake is a hard case, a very hard case, but no way is he stupid enough to try and pop the Queen or rob a British bank. So, now he also knows the RIRA are involved, if I were him, I’d be figuring a way to get out of this area, head for the west coast and across to where these bastards came from!”

  “Which is Northern Ireland?” Jane added.

  He smiled. “Elementary my dear Watson!”

  “So, what do we do now?” she asked.

  He was still thinking out loud. “We find a place, get some food and a couple of rooms for some sleep, keep tuned in to the cops waveband and if anything breaks, we haul ass again and join the chase. Softly, softly, catchee monkey!” he smiled.

  As they drove into the forecourt of the little country inn, little did they know that the Monkeys in question were watching them from down the road. Now the hunters were clearly the hunted!

  * * *

  Jake and Sarah watched as Steve and Jane got out of their car and walked into the country inn. Jake turned to Sarah, his mind still analysing the situation. “You know, they must have some slick kind of monitoring software to have been able to zero in on the chase earlier and to hear what the police were saying,” he began. “So, if they are really out to kill us, the only reason why they would be relaxing in a country inn instead of trying to pick up our trail, is because they can let the cops do it and pick it up at their leisure?”

  “Exactly,” Sarah replied. “And I would be able to think so much more clearly if I wasn’t so damned hungry!”

  He nodded in agreement. “So, I guess it’s another trip to the vending machine. If I see another chocolate bar I’m gonna throw up!”

  While Jake made the trip on foot to the vending machine they had spotted back down the road, and also to call his grandfather, it was starting to go dark as Sarah continued to watch the red VW outside the country inn from where they were parked, almost out of sight in the trees at the side of the road, about forty yards down the hill from the Inn.

  CHAPTER 23

  It was business as usual in the Cherry Tree Pub as Jake Sr. sat patiently nursing his pint of foaming Guinness, his dog at his feet, playing dominoes with his old buddy Wilfred and waiting for the phone to ring. Once again, the man in the dark sweater and slacks, who had been tailing him, had drunk his half pint of bitter, got bored and left. Jake Sr. was now getting used to the changing faces of the team of MI5 personnel following him each night.

  Shortly after nine the phone rang and Phil answered as before, signalling to Jake Sr. that it was for him. He left the dog obediently sitting at the table, walked over to the bar and picked up the phone.

  “Hello?” he began.

  “Hi, Gramps,” Jake was on the line. “You okay?”

  “Yes, son,” his grandfather replied. “And you?”

  “Still hectic,” Jake replied. “I’ve seen the news about the RIRA being involved with the bastard who’s using my ID!”

  Jake Sr. was immediately in tune. “That’s what I want to talk to you about, son.”

  “I’m listening, Gramps?”

  His grandfather explained. “I remember this Mickey Hennessey from way back when we had a few skirmishes back in Belfast with these characters and they used to hang out at a pub in the rough end of Belfast called The Soggy Shamrock.”

  Jake was making a mental note. “So, you think that could be where they’ll be, Gramps?”

  “It’s worth a try, son. If I were them after the embarrassment of being caught on tape at the bank robbery, I’d be heading back to Belfast on the next available transport!”

  Jake was in agreement. “Well, that sounds like a place to start as soon as we can get these Brits off our necks. We’ve also got a new complication.”

  “Complication?” Jake Sr. inquired.

  “Yes, by the most unbelievable coincidence earlier today, we spotted two CIA assassins on our tail, but the good news is that they didn’t spot us!”

  “Really?” Jake Sr. was incredulous. “You mean these people are out to kill you?”

  “Looks like it, Gramps! I guess they’re still upset that we exposed their illegal operations.”

  Jake Sr. was curious. “And for that they’re trying to kill you? My God! So, what happens now, son?”

  “Well, so far they don’t even realize we have their hotel staked out, so watch the news tomorrow, you’ll see how it went.”

  “Be careful, son.” Jake Sr. added.

  “We will, oh, and by the way, Gramps, you were smack on with your tracking job, the bastard who murdered Nan won’t be giving any more injections, on account of the hole in his forehead!”

  Jake Sr. punched the air in satisfaction. “Well done, son! So the info I dug out was okay?”

  “The best, Gramps. Gotta go, same time tomorrow?”

  “Yes, but make it the Cotswold Arms same area.”

  “Will do, Bye.” Jake hung up and his grandfather walked back to the dog, a wry smile on his face.

  * * *

  When Jake got back to the car, Sarah looked at him inquisitively. “How did it go?” she asked.

  Jake quickly brought her up to speed. “I spoke with Gramps and he said this Mickey Hennessey guy and this asshole who is going around trying to look like me, used to hang out in a pub in Belfast called The Soggy Shamrock.”

  Sarah was curious. “Does he think they’ve gone back there?”

  Jake nodded. “Yeah, and I think he could be right. After the embarrassment of being caught on tape at the bank heist, even if they are terrorists, they would want to disappear back into the woodwork for a while.”

  “Maybe so,” she agreed. “In the meantime, what do we do about our friends across the street?’

  Jake looked at her. “I’ve been thinking, that red VW rental would be ideal for our escape to the coast!”

  She looked at him dubiously. “And the present drivers?”

  He smiled. “Oh, they’ll be travelling as well tomorrow, but their mode of transport will be a hearse!”

  She looked at him. “I was going to say are you serious, but I can tell by your face that you are!”

  “Absolutely!” Jake replied. “But I need to give some more thought to making the CIA look like assholes one more time!”

  “I agree!” she replied. “The nerve of those guys!”

  CHAPTER 24

  Along the coastline of St. Brides Bay in Pembrokeshire, Wales on the West coast, it was a cold, misty, rainy evening as Quinn, Mickey and Colleen were parked on the coast road near the beach
in the failing light, where they could just about see the headland through the swirling mist.

  After dropping them off, Megan, the driver, together with Bill, whose arm was now healing, thanks to Megan’s TLC and Danny, would then all drive back inland and literally disappear off the map, into the Liverpool area until they received the next phone call from one of the many active RIRA cells.

  Quinn, however, was not a happy camper. What he had thought would be a world shattering master plan to assassinate the Queen and implicate his bitter enemy Harrigan, all in one swoop, had gone horribly wrong, and it had certainly not helped when Mickey, next to him, had been stupid enough to get caught on camera at the bank.

  He realized that his bosses in the RIRA would be pissed off big time at him dragging their name into plans that had not been approved and he thanked his lucky stars, as he patted the tote full of money next to him, funds that he could now use to top up the budget fund and even make a profit, hopefully to try and placate the anger awaiting his return.

  He was also concerned that instead of causing all kinds of stress and violence for his sworn enemy Harrigan, not only did the latter seem to be skilfully avoiding it, but he was now on their tail, hence the hurriedly planned return to better safety in the network of comfort in Belfast.

  Mickey was already reading his mind. “D’you tink dis asshole Harrigan is really gonna come after us, Sean?” he asked.

  Quinn looked at him disgustedly. How could this man be so stupid? “Of course he is, you fuckin’ moron! What would ye do if somebody used your fuckin’ face to try an’ kill de Queen and set de whole world chasing your arse?”

  Mickey nodded sullenly. “I guess so. Just let him try, once we get back home!”

  Quinn shook his head in disgust as Colleen tried to sound upbeat. “Well, at least we got de money back, plus a profit, Sean?”

  “Dat we did, me darlin’,” Quinn replied. “Maybe dat’ll keep dem bastards on de council happy!”

  “Damn right!” she replied.

  Looking out through the swirling mist, they suddenly saw, faintly at first, the flashing light of the motor launch as it came into shore. They said goodbye to Megan and the rest of the team before scrambling down the beach, Quinn clutching the tote with the money in it as well as the root of all the trouble, the lookalike mask of Jake Harrigan! No doubt, Quinn would enjoy throwing darts at it. Within seconds the boat sailed out of sight.

  CHAPTER 25

  Back in MI5 headquarters in London, John Hargreaves was getting more and more frustrated at the inability of MI5 to apprehend the would be assassins. He now had the complication of the note attached to the body of Damien Flanagan, indicating that he was a terrorist assassin for hire who murdered an innocent old grandmother. It was as if this Harrigan chap was doing his job for him! Now the media had got hold of this and all kinds of different spins were being applied to the story.

  He turned to Hugh Strickland. “I’m getting chewed to bits by the hierarchy, Hugh. It seems that every time we get close to this chap, he disappears off the radar. We even had them in sight in a vehicle we knew for sure he had stolen and those cretins in Stroud still lost him. So, what else have we got before the DDG starts chewing again?”

  Strickland quickly brought Hargreaves up to speed. “The latest news, just received, is that we finally found the white Audi that Harrigan had been driving.”

  “Where was it?” Hargreaves inquired.

  “In a petrol station, just fifty yards off the road from where the Stroud police were chasing him.” Strickland replied.

  “The audacity of the man!” Hargreaves fumed. “Right under their very noses. What then?”

  Strickland gave a sad smile. “He stole another car from a woman who was getting ready to drive off!”

  Hargreaves was furious. “No doubt with a full tank of petrol! And the car?”

  “A blue Jaguar XF.”

  Hargreaves was almost beyond words, he was so frustrated. “This character knows how to pick them. And I assume the task force are aware of today’s latest vehicle. We need a breakthrough Hugh, the world is laughing at us and we’re getting nowhere!”

  “I understand,” Strickland replied. ‘If you’ll excuse me, sir.” he left to issue new instructions to the already exhausted task force. The first call he placed was to BBC News with word of the latest stolen vehicle that Jake and Sarah were now driving.

  * * *

  After an excellent meal and a good bottle of red wine, Steve and Jane had returned to their respective rooms in the county inn. Steve switched on the TV in time to catch the BBC Newscast that was giving almost full time coverage to the chase of Jake and Sarah. He quickly made a mental note when it was announced that the terrorists still being sought in the attempted assassination of the Queen, were now believed to be driving a blue Jaguar XF.

  With it being a non-smoking hotel, he walked out onto his balcony for a smoke before turning in for the night. As he inhaled luxuriantly, he was contemplating their next steps in this crazy cock and bull chase that they had been sent on by Senior Agent Decker back in DC.

  This was the least pressure on an assignment he could ever remember, because he had been sent to terminate a man and woman that even the entire police forces in England and Wales couldn’t find, so even if he failed, there was little his superiors could say and at this time of year, he was quite enjoying the weather and scenery in the UK.

  He inhaled once again and as he looked into the enveloping darkness, something caught his eye. It was the inside light of the Jaguar going on and off from the momentary opening and closing of the door when Jake returned from talking to his grandfather.

  Up on the balcony, Steve was now looking more closely at what seemed to be a car, parked in the trees. He couldn’t make out the make or color of the car, but as he watched intently, the local bus came up the road and as it reached a certain angle on the road on its approach to the bus stop below, just for a split second the headlights swept across the side of the vehicle and to the watching Steve he was able to see the color - it was definitely blue!

  At first, Steve’s mind was telling him this could be just a coincidence, but after the newscast and now a blue car, that could have been a Jaguar, parked down the road watching the hotel, this definitely had his undivided attention.

  His mind was racing and back-tracking. Could it be possible that Harrigan had spotted them at the tail end of the police chase? If Harrigan had switched cars, maybe Steve had driven past him without giving him a second glance.

  He quickly grabbed his Glock and went next door where he tapped on Jane’s door. She answered it quickly, now in her robe, ready to retire for the night. She could see the anxious look on Steve’s face as he started to explain. “Did you see the local news?” he asked.

  She nodded affirmatively. “You mean about the latest car that Harrigan may be driving?”

  He nodded. “Exactly. Maybe I’m going nuts, Jane, but I was just on the balcony having a smoke before I turned in and I spotted a blue car down the road, watching the hotel, with somebody in it!”

  “How did you know it was blue?” she asked. “It’s almost dark?”

  “A bus came past with its headlights on and I saw a flash of color. It was definitely blue!”

  Jane looked at him, she was every inch the cold-blooded killer that he was. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” she asked.

  He looked equally malevolent. “Exactly, if it’s them and they’re watching us, it’s a perfect opportunity to terminate them, that’s if they don’t come after us first!”

  “You think they would?”

  Steve thought a moment. “Not sure. But if they haven’t come after us yet, maybe they’re just following us.”

  She nodded. “I agree, let me get dressed and I’ll give you a knock when I’m ready. It’s a much better scenario if we are in a position to strike first.”

  “I agree.” he replied as she closed the door and he went back to his room and checked his weapon and a
mmo. This could be a most rewarding evening he was telling himself. For them to take out Harrigan and the woman would be a major feather in their caps as far as Decker was concerned, maybe even an increase in pay grade. This was also when he made his big mistake. In his exuberance to get the hit right, he made the mistake of going back on the balcony, in the dark, to check that the car was still there. This was when two pairs of eyes down the road spotted the movement on the balcony.

  * * *

  Down below Jake spoke to Sarah. “Did you see that, up there on the balcony?”

  She nodded. “Absolutely, d’you reckon that’s our guy?”

  “Looks like it!” Jake replied. “Same height, physique, he’s checking us out!”

  “So, what do we do now?” Sarah asked.

  Jake was thinking fast. “Well, for our part, we need to let them know we are still definitely here. Light an occasional cigarette, open the door a couple of times, so they think we don’t realize that they’ve spotted us.”

  “And then what?” she asked.

  “We wait. They’ll be in no hurry, probably wait until the early hours before they make a move.”

  She was looking nervous. “And?”

  He grinned. “And then we make our move!”

  Although Jake and Sarah did not have the luxury of watching TV newscasts, the Jaguar had an excellent radio and they had already heard the latest bulletin that indicated that they were driving a blue Jag that everyone would be looking for.

  Jake was also smart enough to realize that Steve and Jane had also seen the latest bulletin and had spotted them down the road in just such a car. The fact that they had seen Steve watching them from his darkened balcony, was also an indication that they had been spotted.

  Assuming this to be the case, Jake had also taken the calculated risk that Steve would not just call the law and ask them to check them out, since the CIA would want their own closure on this manhunt and not want to risk Jake and Sarah being taken into custody and being questioned by the Brits.