Free Alternating Current: A Tesla Novel by John Agostino Page B

hesitated.
He pointed to the portrait. "Is that him?"
    Turbo nodded.
    “That sumatabitch
is here again.” Cosmo stormed outside. The front door swung open, recoiled, and
slammed shut. The reattached bell survived the ride and rang violently. They
could hear Cosmo cursing outside. “I told you to stay the hell away from here,
next time I’m gonna shove that camera up your ass.”
    Turbo called Cosmo
inside. “What was that all about?”
    “That’s the second
time I catch him taking pictures of the shop.” Cosmo panted.
    “Do you know him?”
Carrie asked.
    “First I’ve heard
about it. Cosmo, why didn’t you tell me?”
    “I forgot.”
    “Maybe he’s with
the government,” Phillip said.
    “Nah, I doubt it,
besides, they were already here.”
    “Yeah, the F.B.I.
stopped by yesterday,” Cosmo said.
    “The F.B.I. What
did they want?” Phillip re-latched the clasp.
    “They were asking
about one of my customers. I fixed his radio.”
    “He wasn’t a real
customer.” Cosmo pointed out. “You didn’t charge him anything.”
    “Why were they
looking for him?” Carrie asked.
    “Don’t know, he was
just a kid, Twenty-something; he didn’t look like a terrorist or anything.”
    “No, but he talks
to Martians.” Cosmo went back over to the TV. “You’ll have to excuse me; “All
My Children” starts now.”
    “They’re after the
wrong man,” Turbo said. “Besides, whoever heard of a terrorist named Alex
Gaye?”
    “Alex Gaye?"
Carrie yelped.
    “Yeah, do you know
him?”
    “No, but Rudy
does.” Carrie pulled out her cell phone. She scrolled through the twenty-three
missed calls from Buddy, still upset with him about the strip club, until she
found the call from “Brad Pitt.” Unsure it would work, she pressed send. She
didn't expect anyone to answer, but she prayed for his voicemail. Her prayer was
answered. She left a message. “Rudy, it's Carrie, please call me right away,
we’re at Turbo’s shop and the---
    Phillip grabbed
the phone before she accelerated to full speed. “Hey, Rudy, its Phillip, please
call us right away, it’s important.”
    “How does Rudy
know Alex Gaye?” Turbo asked.
    “I’m not sure,”
Phillip said. “But he doesn’t want Alex to know that we know him."
    “If Alex ever
contacted us,” Carrie added.
    “This doesn’t make
sense. Why would Alex Gaye contact you?” Turbo scratched his head. “He seemed
like such a nice young man.”
    The bell on the
door rang softly. “He is a nice young man, if you like terrorists.” Rudy
entered the shop.

CHAPTER 14
    “What are they up
to now?”
    “Marco just got
there.”
    “Goddamn it. I
always miss the good stuff.”
    “If you didn’t
drink so much Mountain Dew, you wouldn’t have to piss all the time.”
    Agent Lawson sat
down and adjusted his headset. “This van stinks, we need a new one.”
    “Shhhh. I can't
hear.” Agent Arnold adjusted the receiver.
    “. . .
no, I’m not related to Valentino.”
    “Are
you sure, because you favor him a little.”
    “That Cosmo annoys
me.”
    “He’s harmless. He
thinks Marco is Rudolph Valentino.” Agent Arnold chuckled.
    “He may be
harmless, but he still bugs me---
    “Shut up and
listen.”
    “Rudy,
is Alex Gaye a terrorist?” The voice was undoubtedly Carrie.
    “He
sure is. The F.B.I. is hot on his trail.”
    “They
were here yesterday.”
    “Doesn’t he ever
shut up?”
    “Just listen.”
    “Were
they? Well, they’re cold. Alex went to Miami.”
    “How
do you know?”
    “He
called me. He’s staying at the---
    Static.
    “Goddamn it, he
found the bug. You didn’t hide it very good.”
    “I couldn't find a
good spot with Cosmo up my ass the whole time.”
    “Forget about it.
Call Langley and order a trace on Marco’s phone and notify Miami to be on the lookout
for Alex.”
    ***
    Turbo was fuming.
“I can't believe those bastards bugged my shop.”
    Rudy told him to
relax. “It’s not safe to talk here, we need to leave.”
    “But you