The Meeting

After the death of a FBI agent, a CIA operative meets with the dead agents partner on a firing range. Yet something lingers beneath the surface.

 

 

Standing on the firing line wearing protective glasses and electronic earmuffs, FBI Special Agent Nicholas Connors raised the Jericho 941 automatic pistol. Nick’s breathing slowed as he took a breath and exhaled focusing on the target ahead of him. The firing ranges warning horn blared signalling live fire was about to take place. In one movement Nick’s hand flicked the safety and squeezed the trigger. Bullets pounded the paper target as Nick grouped his shots precisely. He emptied the magazine in seconds. Nick released the empty magazine from the gun in one fluid motion as he rammed a second full magazine into the gun. Cocking the weapon and squeezing the trigger again in nanoseconds, before emptying the current magazine into the target with precise accuracy.

The firing ranges warning horn sounded the all clear. The wafting smell of cordite filled his nostrils as he inhaled. Nick flicked the safety on the automatic pistol before laying it on the bench. He pulled the electronic earmuffs from his ears then slid the protective glasses from his face. Hitting the button for the target to be brought forward on the electronic pulley system, Nick took a breath as he examined the target. The groupings of his shots were close together like you would expect from an expert marksman. His ability to make a headshot was beginning to improve; judging from those groupings there was room for development. He slowly removed the old target sheet from the hanger before laying it down on the bench. He’d try and study it closely later, right now he wasn’t in the mood. He opened the box of Smith & Wesson .40 bullets,working methodically Nick stared into space as he innately placed brand new bullets into both magazines.

He paused for a moment his thoughts wandering back to that day six weeks ago. Even as he tried to recollect what happened his mind was blank, well it played out in his mind right until the car he had been driving was T-Boned by…He didn’t even know who it had been.

 

The report that had later appeared on his desk according to inter-agency co-operations had stated that a terrorist in an old beaten up Toyota Landcruiser. According to the report his partner Rachel Hammond had dazedly climbed out of the car to help secure the area. In that time, the report assumed rather stated that the CIA agent Robert Williams as well as the prisoner Hamid Al-Fariq, were both shot multiple times in the chest and head. The medical examiner’s additional report confirmed this but also concluded that both men were shot at close range. Yet no empty shells had been collected from the rounds fired by the terrorist responsible for their deaths. Nick himself had pointed out to his boss Supervisory Special Agent TD McAllister that this was a sign that whoever the terrorist they had been a professional.

 

Nick trance-like pulled another new target sheet from the pile sitting on the bench

 

His mind thought back to the next few sentences, Rachel Hammond had drawn her SIG Sauer P228 shooting dead a terrorist who had been firing an AK-47. Rachel then apparently had moved to the car. To pull him out.

Nick gritted his teeth, she had not thought about the dangers of pulling him free. The report continued as he tried to remember everything he had read. Rachel had to quickly find cover as she and the surviving CIA agent, Jessica Ramirez came under fire from another terrorist armed with a Scorpion CZ61 submachine gun. The terrorist had been pinned down by both Jess and Rachel. He had dropped out of cover in an effort to retreat the reason at the time was not clear till later. He never got the chance because both Jess and Rachel’s bullets hit him in the chest. Neither agent knew that one more terrorist was there.

 

 Hanging a new target on the pulley system, Nick stepped back to slide the protective glasses onto his face and adding the electronic earmuffs. Before picking up the Jericho 941 and sliding a fully loaded magazine into the weapon. Nick hit the button for the pulley system to take the target out to a safe distance, with the warning horn blaring across the range. Nick’s thoughts about what the report stated again making his anger boil again, the very reason why he was down here firing down a gun range.

 

‘The Ghost’ a name for a terror assassin according to the prisoner in their care called the man who organized the ambush. If Nick had felt something at the time he had read the report he would have made his familiar snide comments. While Ramirez searched the bodies of her partner and their prisoner, Rachel spent a few minutes looking for any sort of ID on the two dead terrorist that she and Jess had killed. By this time ‘The Ghost’ had walked quietly toward where he had been lying unconscious with a silenced Walther P99 automatic pistol ready to put a kill shot in his head. Rachel Hammond had seen him and reacted, with no ammunition left all she could do was scream at him. The man had himself  reacted twisting around on the balls of his feet before firing off three rounds, two hitting Rachel in the chest and a single round ripping through her jugular.

  

Switching off the safety Nick squeezed the trigger the Jericho recoiling in his hands. Bullets smacked into the target as empty shells ejected from the weapon. Cordite swirled around him as the last empty shell casing tumbled to the floor. The empty magazine tumbled to the floor. Nick jammed the second into the magazine, pulling back the slide to c**k the Jericho with a round down the barrel. Without taking a firing stance he fired off all the Bullets. Bullets thudded into the target, empty shell casings expelled out of the Jericho, the pungent smell and heavy layer of cordite hung in the air.

 

Rachel had died bleeding out in the arms of Jessica Ramirez saving his life!

 

The firing ranges warning horn blared all clear for the second time as Nick dropped the empty automatic on the bench. Hitting the button for the pulley system to bring the target back to him. Nick eyes gazed over the target. He had a solid grouping of shots on the targets chest region; his second lots of shots around the head were not so grouped. Not that surprising considering he hadn’t been standing still. He thought back to the last couple of years when he had been with the SEAL teams. His accuracy had been amazing, true he’d never be a sniper but his accuracy had been fantastic; he didn’t spend enough time on the range now.

“Well at least I have an excuse,” Nick mused to himself as he took the target down from the pulley. Placing the target on the bench he then proceeded to pull the earmuffs and protective glasses off, placing them next to the empty Jericho. Ignoring the person standing watching him go through his ritual, a ritual he’d developed in the eight years he had been in the SEAL teams even when he’d served a brief stint in the Master-at-arms branch in the US Navy.

After picking up the empty magazine from the floor he decided to let the person stand there for the moment. Nick removed the empty magazine making certain the pistol was unloaded, before moving the safety into the fire position and fully cocking the hammer manually. Pulling the slide to the back until it aligned with frame, he grasped the pistol by the trigger guard and pressed on the muzzle to make sure the gun maintained its alignment. Pushing the slide-catch lever out from the right side of the flame Nick pulled the slide forward and off expertly. Then he was inverting the slide and pressing down on the recoil spring pushing it forward to disengage it from the barrel. Nick finally mangaged to raise the rear end of the barrel feeling the intruders eyes on him as he removed it. Finally he lifted the breech end of the barrel upward then withdrawing it from the slide. He paused laying all the pieces on the cloth on the bench.

“It’s called field stripping lieutenant,” Nick muttered as he pulled a small bottle of rifle oil out from under the bench along with a rag, “What the hell do you want?”

Ignoring the comment Jessica Ramirez stood quietly arms folded a briefcase next to her as she watched him as he began to clean each piece of the Jericho 941. Ramirez and Connors had both been in the US Navy at the same time early in their working careers. While Nick Connors had joined the SEAL teams a year after enlistment rising through the ranks slowly, Ramirez had entered as a young First Lieutenant for the Office of Naval Intelligence. In May 2000 Nick’s SEAL team had been sent into Lebanon to assassinate members of Al-Qaeda and gathering intelligence on the organization’s movement. Nick had lost his best friend that night of hell as well as other ranking members making him the ranking member of the team. He had laid the blame at the feet of ONI and Ramirez. Nickhad transfered out to Master-at-arms branch to serve out his time in the Navy. When Nick left the Navy he joined the FBI. Ramirez was recruited to the Central Intelligence Agency. It didn’t make the tension between either of them any better whenever the FBI and CIA worked co-operatively.

Nick finally looked up at her eyes blazing the antagonism in his voice not lost on Jess, “What does the bloody CIA want?”

“You look better,” Jess decided not to provoke him any further, “How is the right arm?” She was referring to the broken arm he had recieved in the crash with the Land cruiser, he’d also had several ribs broken as well.

“Quit patronizing me,” Nick threw the rag down on the bench with force, “What do you want?”

Ramirez felt her latin temper begin to simmer. Seizing on the anger she stepped forward, “What?! What is your Problem?!”

Jess’ chocolate brown eyes locking with Nick’s brown eyes their faces inches from one another, the tension could’ve been cut with a knife. Breaking eye contact Nick took a deep breath then exhaling slowly, “Look I’m sorry.”

“So you should be,” Jess snapped.

Nick bristled, “If you’re here for a reason then spit it out.” Closing with her again his palms balling into fists, remaining self-controlled. He took another deep breath exhaling again, “What do you want Ramirez?” They weren’t far apart now, even with the cordite smell dissipating he could smell the perfume she was wearing. It was arousing. He had to admit as much as he disliked her, Jess Ramirez was a strikingly attractive woman who was a hell of a lot smarter then he gave her credit for.

“I knew you were going to be like this when you read my report,” Jess whispered quickly, she had no idea why she was whispering; “I was worried you were going to do something stupid.”

Nick laughed it was hollow full of cynicism, “You worried about me!”

"I'm not stupid." Sliding the barrel back into breech end before he looked into Jess’ eyes, “I learned that the hard way, plus I’m not the same guy I was when I was a SEAL; I’ve grown up and matured since then…” He paused as he finished putting the Jericho back together after cleaning it, “I’m angry Rachel died…but I’m not letting my anger fester, I’ve seen what happens when you allow it too. My family is a good example.”

“Nick…” Jess started.

“Why are you really here? What is it that you DO want?” Nick glanced at Jess changing the subject as he slid the empty magazine into the butt of the Jericho 941. She was close to him, forcing himself ignored the allure of perfume. Releasing the magazine from the pistol, Nick caught it snatching it out of the air in a nanosecond.

Rachel stepped back retrieving the briefcase and opening it before pulling out a manila folder then closing the briefcase and placing it back on the ground. Stepping over to the bench where Nick was sliding the last of .40 rounds into the magazine once again. Placing the folder on the bench and opening it to reveal photos of a man. “I went over every camera angle I could find of the night of the ambush,” Jessica sighed spreading the photos out over the bench, “Whoever this guy was he was professional enough to not give us a good enough look for facial recognition software.”

Nick slid the magazine into the pistol again before he holstered it on his belt and picked up one of the photos, “This guy…reminds me of someone.” His hands slowly moved over each photo leaving finger prints on each as he poured over them, Jess watched him intently as she leaned over the bench examining each photo as he did. Nick picked up a close-up shot of the terrorist responsible for Rachel’s death, “I know this guy.”

“Who is it?” Jessica looked at him

“You remember that French spy by the name of Al-Ghani who the contact on the ground we were meeting in Lebanon in 2000,” Nick lifted the picture so that they were both looking at it; “He met us on the ground led us to the Al Qaeda camp, but then disappeared once we ran into the Syrians.”

“What?” Jess looked at him confused, “How do you remember that?”

“I remember everything on that mission, particularly faces of little b******s like this one,” Nick shook before he lightened his mood, “Goes to show you how many officers ever read reports.”

Jessica rolled her eyes at the little jab at her expense as her cell phone rang, moving slowly away from Nick she flipped it open, “Ramirez.” She turned on her heel walking away, Nick for the first time took in her figure watching her walk away admiring her from behind. He was a man after all. You could be attracted to almost anything in a skirt, almost. 

“Yes sir, I’ll be on my way.” Jess pivoted on her foot turning back toward Nick his eyes locking with hers for a second as if she knew what he had been doing. “Yes sir, right away,” Jess smirked at Nick’s guilty look, “Goodbye sir.”

“Gotta run?” Nick ignored the seductive looking grin on Jessica’s face.

The smile disappeared from her face as she realized Nick was back in professional mode once again, “Yeah, apparently I’m indispensable to a situation that is getting out of hand in the Middle East. So I guess…I’ll see you around.” Jess pulled the manila folder from the bench before picking up the briefcase placing the photos inside before she turned walking away.

“Hey!” Nick called after her.

Jess closed her eyes before opening them as she turned around, “Yeah,” offering a smile of encouragement, “What?”

“When you chase that name up and you’ve double checked it,” Nick, he paused, “Call me when you confirm its Al-Ghani.”

“Why,” Jess looked warily at him, “Should I do that?”

Nick ignored the comment, if she didn't call him he had his own sources. “Can I keep this?” Nick held up the photo of Al-Ghani.

 “Sure,” Jess nodded, “Take care I’ll see you around.” With that Jess disappeared out of the range and Nick stared after her for a few moments.

Nick turned back toward the range again as he held the photo up at eye level, looking at the Frenchman who was responsible for his partner’s death. He paused to look up at the target hanging there, with a small smile on his face he stepped up to the target. Nick secured the picture to where the head of the target was positioned. Un-clipped the Jericho 941 automatic pistol in its holster, Nick hit the button for the pulley. The pulley system kicked in as the target was slung out again as Nick pulled his glasses and electronic earmuffs back on. The warning horn blared the live fire sound again as Nick pulled the automatic from the holster, he pulled back the slide on the Jericho cocking it.

 

“I just can’t help myself,” muttering to himself his eyes locked on the photo stuck to the target. He reacted, squeezing the trigger. Nick emptied the entire clip into the target. Empty shell casings ejecting as bullets smacked into the picture of Al-Ghani. Cordite exploded into his sinuses after he discharged the entire magazine into the target. Nick stood as he lowered the automatic watching the target his eyes never leaving the picture filled with shredded and smoking bullet holes.

Author's Note

Just interested in your thoughts. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've reread this story over four times already looking for mistakes but if you spot them please let me know just so I can perfect this story

Reviews

[Tanece Brooks]

Well, this is definitely my type of story. I am a sucker for these types of stories, Cops, FBI, CIA, I'm all for it. First things first, I like Nick and you've painted a picture of a tough man with a caring side. I like his dedication to his partner as well. Overall, he is an interesting character, and I am dying to know more about him. As for Jessica, she seems like a smart woman who has a good head on her shoulders. I'd like to read more about her as well.

The overall description was quite good, though a few of the sentences sounded a bit off. Just the wording really and that could just be me and the way that I think the sentence should flow. And you might want to watch your tense. You kind of switch from present to past tense. It isn't bad, and over all not all that noticeable.

I also liked how you inter weaved what happened to his partner, whilst he's at the shooting range. In my eyes that was a good way to give us back ground to what happened.

Overall, I liked it. There a few things with sentence structure, but over all it is a good read that caught my interest from the beginning.