Free Hard Case V: Blood and Fear (A John Harding Novel Book 5) by Bernard Lee DeLeo Page A

backup at the door. What about it, J?”
    Jafar took one look at Samira’s stern face, and went for the alteration with tight mouthed acknowledgement. “Casey’s plan is a good one. Let us get this done.”
    Jafar checked Samira’s Kevlar under her clothing, tightening the Velcro straps slightly. With Dev driving, Jess had lookout duty. It would be their job to make sure we had a reasonable chance of slipping inside the fencing. Then they would circle the block and park where Dev could move into pickup position in seconds. Our ready van is an EMT vehicle with all the bells and whistles. We were all dressed as emergency medical techs. The ploy had worked so well in the past, we had adopted it as an operational choice. The moment after whoever on the upper floor opened the door, Jafar would shift the Taser into Samira’s hands. I would be ready to maim or kill. I handed Lucas and Casey a couple of gas masks. Our flash-bangs could maim and kill too. They also affected breathing.
    “We’re ready, Dev. Take us in front.”
    “On our way.” He rounded the block into position, while Jess watched for people moving on the sidewalks, or doing lawn chores outside.
    “Clear,” Jess said.
    Dev stopped at the front gate, and our hit team piled out and quickly through the fence. Lucas and Casey scrambled down the steep driveway while Jafar and I split around Samira as she approached the door located on a small porch under an awning.
    “There’s too many windows down here at the back, John,” Casey said in my ear. “It will only take seconds to get in after the bangs.”
    “Ringing the bell now, Case. Be ready in case they start bailing out the back rather than waiting for me to blow their eardrums out.”
    “You just keep Jafar’s parakeet safe, boot camp,” Lucas said. “This ain’t our first swim in the pond, you disrespectful cracker.”
    The parakeet growled for Lucas’s amusement while I, the boot camp cracker, prepared for violence. Jafar readied the Taser. Samira rang the bell. We all saw an indication someone looked through the peephole in the door. A deadbolt was slid into the open position. As the door began to open, Jafar slapped the Taser into Samira’s hands. The moment the door opened to a point where the guy answering it was in view, Samira fired the Taser into him. She ramped the juice, and then cut it off. I grabbed the dropping shock victim, slamming him face first onto the floor, where Jafar restrained him.
    I found the stairwell, which was indeed a long one. Hearing voices, I ran down the steps and pitched the flash-bang into the open living area. It blew to the usual screams of agony. Then I threw in the second one. All quiet on the western front. I heard the door slam open at the back, while pulling my mask into place. My part was to stay out of the line of fire until I received a clear sign from Lucas. It came a moment later. I went down through the small doorway with plastic ties ready. We had all live casualties, so that was a good thing, because we didn’t know who the hell was who, nor did we know if Edoje was the one Samira took down at the door.
    “We have Edoje with us,” Jafar said.
    “Good.” I quickly took pictures of our soon to be new guests at the House of Pain. I sent them directly to Laredo.
    It was then time to cart our suspects upstairs. None of us felt like carrying them, so Lucas began kicking the shit out of them like he was waking a bunch of boot camps on their first day at the Marine Recruit Depot at Parris Island. They pissed and moaned, but Lucas did not cease until they were staggering up the stairs. We collected them in a little grouping near the front door, along with anything and everything having to do with computers or communications. They stared at us with hate filled eyes, mucous covered faces, and a little blood at noses and ears. I took a wet towel and wiped them off.
    “In a couple minutes we’re going to herd you guys into our transport. Anyone making a