He's Goin' Down

 210.

Directive established, we move to the second level of logistics and tactics discussion. There are a thousand questions, a hundred hunches, fifty gut reactions and one or two ideas that have a legitimate chance at success. One of those is classic old-school, Police 101, 'go stick your nose in it'. I offer the caveat that we must remain stealthy and patient during this process, further, that due to the compromised status of two of our six, we will add a pair of boots, new faces, into the mix to augment our existing cover. One assigned to work with Davis and Saunders and the other to imbed with myself and Drysdale. Saunders appears to be genuinely apperceiatve of the additional personnel, as their duty will be mostly surveillance. I try my best to downplay the importance of an extra pair of eyes, ears and arms as our plan is to stick our noses directly into the red-hot inferno.

We spend the remainder of the crisp fall day exchanging intel, Harlan taking notes and keeping the exchange focused and on-topic, no cake-walk chore. Davis admits that after months of investigative effort he can find no thread connecting Adelson or his gaggle of legal thugs to have sufficient concrete motivation to put a contract on us. Saunders seconds this adding that there is no reason, outside of their suddenly pulling a volte fase due to a blown cover, a highly unlikely scenario, to order a hit. I can't help but thinking what a tough gal she is, taking a high-powered, shoulder shattering slug and then, sans emotion, objectively playing the pain back in slow-motion reverse to attempt discovery. As it always does a huge swell of pride and respect wells inside of me as I watch her replay the tapes one more time.

Julie uses the brief to update us on the political side, our funding and status, full and supportive, as well as Hartaugh's current psychological state of being, arrogant and bullet-proof. My emotions ping from one extreme to the other as I listen, but I remind the group, this is exactly the way we want him to feel, as if he can get away with anything.

As the trap is further refined and reviewed or bond deepens. I am at once appalled and further motivated when I learn that for the last two months no one on this elite team has been drawing a paycheck, it has all been voluntary. Julie and Harlan echo exasperation, as their efforts drew blanks to rectify the unfortunate reality of TOM's death and the end of contract re-negotiation he was actively pursuing.

"That son-of-a-bitch Hartaugh," I hiss through clenched teeth, "One, you will be compensated and two, he's goin' down."