Damn! No trunk. So much for a nice tidy package.
By this time, the Mongolian was totally passive, having perceived the benefits of submission. I encouraged him to take the Hyundai’s driver’s seat. Using several sturdy plastic zip ties, I secured his arms around the steering column, then fastened his feet to the brake pedal in similar fashion.
With his arms and legs immobilized, I rolled up his right sleeve to confirm what I already knew. There it was: ‘O-B-G’ in Cyrillic lettering, together with the clan’s sword-and-snake tat. Sara had described it perfectly. Smart kid!
I was quite practiced at using plastic ties for binding captives, but just to be extra sure, I jogged back to the Ferrari and acquired a smallish cloth bag from my luggage. Then I returned to the Hyundai.
Using substantial lengths of grey duct tape, I further secured the Mongolian’s hands and legs. With the remainder of the tape, I circled his head and mouth… twice. By the time I had finished, he looked like a handyman had wrapped him for mailing via parcel post. Finally, I removed the Mongolian’s gun from the glove box and stuffed it in my belt.
Now I had to make sure the authorities would handle this package properly. I closed and locked the car doors, then using a bold marker, which I had brought with me, and a couple sections of the campus press, which were still folded in my pocket, I made two signs:
DANGER! INTERNATIONAL FUGITIVE!
STAY AWAY!
CALL INTERPOL AT
[I gave the number.]
I affixed one sign to each side window.
I was pretty sure Interpol would have a file on this guy. But without some prompting, I couldn’t trust the local FBI to find that information before they let him go.
I waved bye-bye to the Mongolian.
No response.
Returning to the Spider, I dropped the top. Comfortably seated in the Ferrari’s driver’s seat, I needed to make a few telephone calls. I called Beth first, just to give her a status report and ease her mind. After telling Beth the whole story, I asked her to contact Sara to let her know I had solved the problem and that she was safe. I would give Sara more details later.
I had other work to finish here, but I also wanted to get back to Red Wing to continue working the potassium puzzle. The right government authorities could help me out with the Mongolians.
Using a disposable phone, my next call was to the FBI’s main office on Pennsylvania Avenue in D.C. It was the private line of Daniel Trew. Dan had one of the longest official titles of anyone I had ever met — ‘Executive Assistant Director for National Security Branch/Associate Executive Assistant Director for National Security Branch, Counter-Terrorism Division.’ I knew Dan from a case in which we had both been involved a few years back, when he was just a ‘Special Agent.’ He wasn’t really an agent at all anymore, but I trusted him, and that meant everything.
He answered his telephone, "Executive Assistant Director Trew."
"Dan," I said. "I can’t say who this is. But you probably remember my voice from the ops team in the Bolivar drug bust about ten years ago."
There was a moment of silence.
"Say: ‘On the ground, Shithead, or you’re dead meat,’ with authority."
I obliged.
"I’ll be damned! How’re you doing? Never mind. I bet you didn’t call just to catch up, especially since you can’t even give me your name. What’s up?"
I told Dan about the Mongolian guy strapped to the Hyundai in the college parking lot. I told him about the tattoo and the arms dealer connection. I told him the Hyundai guy was dangerous and might still be armed. And I asked if Dan would personally see that this fellow was properly arrested and checked out for international wants, warrants, or alerts.
"There should be plenty," I said.
"I’ll make sure the gentleman receives appropriate attention. I know the counter-terrorism SAC in the local office out there. I’ll talk to him right away. He’ll do a good job.
"What about Gansükh himself? You got anything on him?"
"Nothing concrete," I lied. I hated lying to Dan, but he didn’t want to hear my plans for Gansükh. "I’ll let you know if I get anything more. Thanks, Dan."
"No problem. Be good."
"Yeah, Dan… like always."
"Right."
With the Hyundai Mongolian situation covered, I still needed to take care of Gansükh before he heard about the fate of his operative and fled the country. I couldn’t take any chances that Gansükh might escape, or even be arrested and then weasel out on some legal technicality. If that happened, my family would be in danger once again.
To ensure that Gansükh didn’t evaporate, I called my best contact at the CIA and told him Gansükh’s exact location, as extracted from the Hyundai guy. Another favor. He would have some of his people keep an eye on Gansükh for now and leak his whereabouts to the Kenyan rebels and the Ukrainian Secret Service.
After receiving assurances that the CIA would babysit him until his business partners arrived, I was pretty confident I wouldn’t be hearing from Gansükh again. My CIA contact would let me know later, just to confirm.
I was troubled that I had no idea how Gansükh had found Sara. I wouldn’t rest easy until I had figured that one out.
With the Mongolian job completed in record time, and no flights home until evening, I called Sara’s cell from my disposable. Maybe we could go out for dinner before I had to leave.
I was lucky enough to catch her at a time when she could answer.
"Hey, Sara. It’s Dad."
"Hi, Daddy. Mom called and told me that you have ‘abolished’ the bad guy and all is well with the world."
I laughed. "That’s pretty much true. But I’d like to visit with you before I leave. Any chance we could do an early dinner?"
"Sure. Let’s go downtown to The Dregs. They have the best burgers in town. Can you meet me at my dorm at 5:00?"
"Sure thing. Love you."
"I love you, too, Daddy. And thanks for everything."
"No sweat. See you soon."
I picked Sara up promptly at five. She was standing in front of her dorm as I arrived in the Ferrari.
"Nice ride," she commented as she hopped into the passenger seat. "Having a midlife crisis, are we?"
"Ouch," I said, and headed for the restaurant.
The burgers were all that Sara had promised. But I wasn’t there for the food.
"Sara, Honey. What your Mom told you is true. I located your stalker and have made sure that he will cause you no further consternation."
"Thanks again, Daddy."
"But Sara, just because I got rid of this goon, that doesn’t mean we’re completely in the clear."
Sara listened calmly, showing no undue anxiety.
"I don’t know how this guy found out about me, or you, or where you go to school. So that concerns me a little and I must ask that you raise your alert level a tiny bit — just in case the leak hasn’t been completely plugged.
"Do you understand what I’m saying?"
Sara remained composed.
"I’m pretty sure I get it. You’ve done away with the current threat., but you want me to be a little extra careful until you can find out why it happened in the first place."
"Exactly," I said. "Can you do that for me?"
"Of course, Daddy. I’m not worried anymore. But I will, as you always say, ‘remain vigilant’ in case of unanticipated developments."
"Great."
We finished off our burgers and fries. It was time for me to head back to the airport to catch my return flight.
When I dropped Sara off in front of her dorm, we both got out of the car. I walked over to her side and we gave each other big hugs.
"Love you lots," I said softly into her ear.