The Long Shot
Red redemption
Simo stood staring out his office window high above the empty dance floor.
Jessie, Becky, and a few other employees were busy hanging Christmas decorations around the club.
Simo watched both girls intently; Jessie seemed to be having a good time.
She was smiling. Eventually, he turned away and sat at his desk.
Taking a long look at the blank screen on his laptop, with a sigh, he turned it on and checked his emails.
The first was from Captain Georgios Alexiou stating that ‘Lisa Johnson’ settled in and was fine.
He scrolled back up and re-read Ari’s email explaining all that transpired between him and Irwin Miller.
Simo made a mental note about Ari already taking possession of Irwin’s plush private jet.
He sat back with a huge sigh. Leaning his head back against the headrest, he contemplated his plan.
First was telling Eleni she would be heading up Annabeth and Christina’s security detail in Oregon…
he worried that Jessie would act up; he needed her skills, but not the way she made him feel.
He considered using Becky for his next plan… but Jessie would be the better fit.
Shaking his head, he leaned forward and began rapidly typing while reading from his notes. After several minutes, he re-read what he wrote, then picked up the club phone.
“Please send Jessie… and Becky up.”
Within a few minutes, a knock came at his door and Jessie walked in, smiling and beautiful. Simo thought he felt his heart stumble and he quickly forced his feelings down.
“Hello, Boss-man. You wanted to see us?”
“Yeah… come in.” Simo pointed in front of his desk and both women stood where he pointed. Simo spun his laptop toward them. “Read it.”
He watched Jessie closely as she read. Her face betrayed her thoughts with small nods, smiles, and smirks. When they were both done, he leaned back in his chair. “First, which one of you is going to be on the Barrett?”
Both women looked at each other and shrugged. Becky was the first to speak. “I think Jessie is best for the Barrett.”
“Why?” Simo blurted.
“Oh. Well… I can do it, but I think it’s Jessie’s turn at bat.”
“You don’t think I can make the shot?” Jessie asked.
“I haven’t seen you with a Barrett .50 caliber…”
“Ha. I’ll show you then. Name the place and time,” Jessie replied proudly.
“I have some time now… but first, what do you think of the plan?”
Becky smiled. “It should work, but according to your intel it’s five against one in a small space…”
“Yes, I agree…” Jessie replied. “…but the problem is your exit. What is going to stop anyone from following?” Jessie asked, concerned.
“Go on…” Simo encouraged.
“I have an idea… but it’s risky and I need more intel.”
“Ok, let’s see what you can do with a Barrett first.”
“Oh? Really, like now?”
“Sure.”
Jessie felt her face flush. This would be the first time in weeks that she and Simo would be alone. “I… I need a ride to the range?”
“Hey, I gotta finish up the Christmas decorations,” Becky offered and gave Jessie a discreet wink.
Simo sighed as he eyed both women. “Fine. Meet me down at my car in five.”
Inside herself, she was all excitement, while on the outside she was calm. “See you down there, then.”
With a nod, Jessie headed out the door.
Simo waited until Jessie was out of earshot. “Becky?”
“Yes, Simo?”
“Is she going to behave?”
Becky grinned. “That’s all on you, Simo. Sorry.”
Simo smiled. “You are no help.”
“Ha! Whatever is going on between you two is all on you, Boss. Ok, I’m off to finish the decorations…”
Simo grunted and watched Becky leave. Shaking his head at himself, he questioned whether he should have just had Becky do the job. Still shaking his head, he headed out of his office.
Jessie was waiting by the Challenger as Simo came out.
She kept her smile to a minimum as Simo, seemingly without thought, opened the door for her.
“Thank you,” she said and hopped inside as Simo closed the door.
Immediately she could smell hints of Simo’s cologne and her belly started doing flip-flops, remembering him in the hotel outside of Athens.
Then he was getting in the driver’s side and starting it up.
“The elevation you indicated is going to be in a much windier and colder location, and you didn’t indicate if I had a spotter…”
“Do you need one?”
“No… but it would be ideal in this scenario, since your ass is on the line.”
“Maybe… but that is why I picked you.”
“Is that the only… uh, sorry, never mind.”
“I picked you because I want to see what you can really do.”
“Oh, good. What is the approximate distance and degree to target?”
“Approximately four hundred meters at approximately a two-hundred-degree downward angle.”
Jessie did some quick calculations. “Weight of projectile?”
“An ounce. You’ll be using a modified round... full of paint.”
“Ouch. If there are wind gusts…”
“Then you will be leaving my ass out to dry or looking really stupid.”
Jessie crimped inwardly at that thought. “I can do it.”
“We are all set up at the range. Chen set up the projectile and rounds.”
“Good. When is this happening?”
“Joel got back today… he missed his father’s funeral.”
“Fucking dick…”
“We think he had something to do with it…”
Jessie spun toward him. “What? That little bitch! Really?”
“Yeah…”
“What else are you not telling me?”
“We think Joel had a hand in Elara Swan’s disappearance.”
“Wait. Becky indicated it was Johnny Stone…”
“Lots been going on… it seems like someone tried to kill Johnny Stone in prison. A shiv to his guts… not sure if he’s going to make it.”
“Well, that prick deserves it for what he did to Halo… I see how that implicates the little bitch.”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t we just take Joel out?”
Suddenly, Simo handed her an envelope from inside his black leather blazer. “What’s this?”
“Your share in a million-dollar job. Read it.”
Jessie felt her mouth come open as she read Irwin Miller’s deal to Simo. It looked like it had been drawn up by lawyers. It even showed the Cayman bank, account number, and access code that held registered bonds in escrow in Simo’s name.
“I already checked. It is legitimate.”
“Damn, we don’t get to kill the little bitch,” Jessie smirked. “I would have loved to have seen him squirm.”
“Knowing Irwin, there are repercussions that I am not aware of… yet, if Joel dies.”
“Well, his little asshole is gonna be working overtime in prison…” Simo’s little chuckle at her comment brought a smile to her face. “Here is what I think could work for your exit…”
Jessie was set up on top of the high-rise and was looking over the edge with her spotter scope at Joel’s window.
Behind her sat one of the huge fresh-air fans for the high-rise.
She listened to the hum and rush of air.
She nodded; it would help mask her shot.
One hour until Simo arrives, she thought as she bundled up her hair into a tight knot and slipped her cap over her head, then tucked the rest of her hair under it.
She unrolled a gray tarp, then opened her rifle case and in moments had the .
50 caliber sniper rifle assembled. She spun the silencer on and set it down across her lap.
She opened the box of paint rounds and sighed as she looked at one.
Specialized subsonic, half-grained rounds so it would be a lob, not a straight ballistic shot that would sound like a bird hitting the window at full speed rather than shattering it.
She was happy Chen gave her extra rounds to practice with as the winds up here were very unpredictable.
“Might as well take a few practice shots,” she murmured as she loaded five rounds into the magazine.
Just as she slammed the big magazine into the rifle, she heard talking.
She dropped flat and edged forward, clearing the massive fan’s housing.
Three men were pointing in the opposite direction and had tools with them.
She adjusted her earpiece and depressed her mic and spoke. “Visitors on my rooftop. HVAC repair.”
Chen’s voice replied, “Have they spotted you?”
“Negative. They are walking away from my position.”
“Will you need to abort?”
“No. I won’t do that to Simo. I can incapacitate and bind them until I’m done. Over?”
“Checking.”
A few moments later, Chen’s voice was back in her ear. “Can you take your shot without them knowing?”
“Fifty-fifty. Hold.” She watched one of them leave and could tell he was the building’s maintenance manager. “One leaving… he’s gone. Two left… and they are behind the main AC unit. I just need a few practice rounds. Good to go when you are.”
“Copy. Cameras down in… three, two, one.”
Jessie grabbed her rifle, popped up, and extended the long barrel over the edge, sighting the window above Joel’s. She saw the wind flag on the roof of Joel’s building fluttering to the right.
Breezy.
She adjusted her aim on the vacant office’s window, slowed her breathing and heart rate, then slowly let her breath flow out and squeezed. Thump, the rifle burped and she ducked down fast, checking her six.
“First shot away. Miss to the right. Firing in three… two…” She popped back up, sighted the window, and saw her round impacted nearly on the frame, too far from the center. “Malaka…” she hissed at herself and squeezed again. She waited and saw the round impact closer, but still way off.
“Chen, I’ve got swirling eddies; the crosswind from the ocean is boiling off the building…”
“Abort?” Chen replied. “Simo is in Joel’s reception…”
“NO. I won’t let him down. I’ll adjust my calculations. Just add me to Simo’s comms for when as I won’t be able to see more than his knees.”
“Roger,” Chen replied.
Jessie looked at her ballistic calculator and shoved it back in her pack. “Fucking useless with this round,” she cursed.