Steve Martini - The Rule of Nine

She was talking about precision-guided weapons. It made the hair on the back of Thorn’s neck stand up.

These systems, originally designed and sold on the notion of avoiding collateral damage, have now become the weapon of choice for acts of very precise mass assassination. Think about that. We reap what we sow. A laser-guided missile can kill with more lethality and certainty than a bullet fired by a sniper. Why? Because it can reach its target in an enclosed vehicle or a building where the victim suffers from the illusion of security.

He should have killed her in Seattle, thought Thorn.

Make no mistake about it. Soon there will be no place left for leaders of any stripe to hide.

It was intended to get their attention, and it did. Standing in the empty field, rolling the little trackball, Thorn devoured the rest of the story. She took a few shots from the right, members who asked if she was equating Al Qaeda to leaders of recognized political states.

She told them they were missing the point.

For the most part the committee got the message. They wanted to know what they could do to ensure that this wouldn’t happen, that someone wouldn’t get their hands on these weapons and target their sorry asses.

Without even realizing it, Cole was directing the spotlight just where Thorn didn’t need it, and at the worst possible time.

Of course, the bitch had a long list of recommendations, all of them designed to tighten the screws on the tools of Thorn’s trade. To make it more difficult to get the weapons he needed. Not that she would ever be able to shut down the market. But she could surely make it expensive.

If she continued to whip this horse, he would have to find a way to shut her up. It would be just Thorn’s luck if she stumbled into his party and somehow unraveled it all before he could move.

So then I take it we’re all agreed?” The four of us are seated around the kitchen table at our house in Coronado.

“I don’t see that we have any other choice,” says Harry.

Herman nods. “I agree.” Three days since they found Jenny’s body and we’re all running on empty from lack of sleep.

“Well, I don’t,” says Sarah. “I don’t like it. Besides, you’re only doing this because of me. Why should we let him chase us out of our home?”

“We don’t move, we’re just playin’ into his hand,” says Herman. “He killed your friend to send us a message-that he can reach any one of us anytime he wants. If we move and do it the right way, we take that away from him.”

“How do we know it’s even him? How do we know he killed Jenny?”

“We know. Trust us on this,” I tell her.

“Why can’t we go to the police? Aren’t they supposed to provide protection?” says Sarah.

“They gotta have evidence,” says Herman. “So far they got nothing linking Liquida to Jenny’s murder.”

“At least not yet,” I tell her. “We gave them his name and some other information. They’re going to investigate-”

“You mean they can’t provide protection?” says Sarah.

“They might send a patrol car by the house every few hours to keep an eye on us,” I tell her. “But that’s all.”

“And that ain’t gonna cut it,” says Herman. “Not with this guy. His game is to play with our minds. Man’s evil, but he’s got patience. He knows that sooner or later we’re gonna get tired, give it up, and go back to livin’ a normal life. That’s when he’ll hit. He’s toyin’ with us like a cat that has one of his claws in a mouse.”

“I should have taken Sarah and run,” I tell them. “The minute Thorpe told us about Liquida. Jenny would still be alive.”

“Maybe. But one of us’d be dead in her place,” says Herman.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Harry or me,” he says. “You gotta understand what you’re dealin’ with. Liquida’s a mental case. One sick son of a bitch. Excuse my language.” Herman glances toward Sarah, then looks at me. “If you run, it’s the way he’d bring you back, reach out and kill somebody close. It’s why I had you shut down the office.”

“You closed the law office?” says Sarah.

“Had to,” says Herman. “He killed Jenny, so what’s to think he won’t go after one of the secretaries? Can’t take the chance.”

Herman has managed to stay half a jump ahead of Liquida for the past few days. Otherwise, by now one of us would probably be dead. He is beginning to get a sense for the twisted mind that is shadowing us. Herman’s take is that Liquida probably hasn’t taken the time to tail any of our staff to their homes yet, because he thinks he has the four of us under glass, where we can’t move.

“So we sent everybody from the office home,” Herman explains to Sarah. “Told them to stay away from the office till they hear from us, and to take all the home addresses and other identifying information out of the office so Liquida can’t find any of it. You did do that?” He looks at Harry.

“Took care of it this afternoon,” says Harry. “The staff is on paid leave for as long as we can manage it. Told them to take all their personal stuff home and told them the reason. I had the IT people put everything behind passwords in the computers and cleaned out all the personnel files. I can’t guarantee we got everything, but he’d have to hunt like hell to find it. Take him days. I had the phones rolled over to the answering service, locked all the windows and doors, and turned on the full security system-doors, windows, motion sensors, the whole nine yards.”

“So now it’s down to us,” says Herman. He looks at Sarah.

“If we do this. Assuming I go along. How long do we have to stay away?” Sarah looks me dead in the eye.

“Until the police and the FBI can nail him,” I tell her.

“Oh, yeah, that’s great! How do we know they’re even looking for him? Besides, what good is the FBI? Harry tells me that when you call them, they put you on hold,” she says. “We lived with them for three months, now they forget our names?”

I shoot Harry a look and he winces. “Sorry.”

“Sarah, I know it’s short notice, but it’s the best we can do. If you have a better idea, let’s hear it.”

“Let me have a gun. Teach me how to shoot and I’ll take care of myself,” she says.

“What, and go off on your own?” I say.

“Why not? I’ll stay away. Get another job. If he can’t find your staff, he won’t be able to find me.”

I roll my eyes, shake my head, and glance at Harry. “You talk to her.”

“Not that I want to discourage you from exercising your god-given right of self-defense,” says Harry, “but I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“You don’t think I can do it?” she says.

“Oh, I don’t doubt it,” says Harry. “Nobody in their right mind would come after you if they knew you were armed. But if Herman’s right, Liquida’s a mental case. So he’s not likely to be dissuaded by the fact that you’re packing a gun. Even if he knows it’s there.”

“Good. Then I’ll kill him,” she says.

“Just like that,” says Harry.

“You bet. Give me a gun and show me how to use it,” she says.

“Not me. I haven’t figured out how to get the pistol out of the fanny pack yet,” says Harry.

“Where is it?” I ask.

“Not to worry. It’s in my car. Locked in the trunk. Right next to the shotgun,” he says.

“What shotgun?” I ask.

“One I bought yesterday. Biggest twelve-gauge pump I could find, a barrel longer than my uncle Willie’s dick. If I’m gonna have to pack a gun, I want him to see it. That way, even if Liquida’s crazy, maybe he’ll be less likely to come visiting.”