Dangerous Times

By Larry Ware

Tim McFadden's best friend and co worker, Tony Palermo an investigative reporter for the Detroit News is found dead in his car. The police rule it a suicide. McFadden believes it was murder.
On the night after the funeral McFadden returns from diner with Palermo's pregnant widow and daughter and encounters intruders ransacking their house. In a firefight he kills three and a fourth escapes. In a search of the house he finds a list of initials and names which he takes to a friend at the local FBI office. One name is of a Michigan Militia member and one is a Chinese arms agent. McFadden calls and sets up a follow up story with one of the militia men he had interviewed for an article he wrote last year. He finds within their ranks a secret group called RAP one of the set of initial's on the list. McFadden follows them to cities in five states and learns each is planning attacks of federal facilities. The final stop is their headquarters in the middle of an Arizona desert.
McFadden is captured, questioned and beaten. When left alone he manages to escape and then sets explosive charges throughout the camp that cause widespread destruction and death.
When he escapes the FBI and Army take out the other locations at the same time.
McFadden goes to the safe house in Northern Michigan where he had sent under FBI protection, the Palermo's and his ex wife and son soon after his incident at Palermo's house.
Everything changes in the morning when he looks out his upstairs bedroom and doesn't see any agents.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Larry Ware
• Release date: May 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301474783

Larry Ware

Larry Ware is the author of The Devil's Captive, Dangerous Times and Sanctuary. Born in Pennsylvania, he left there at age eight for California then on to Washington and then back to Pennsylvania where he finished high school and his first year of college. He enlisted for four years in the US Air Force which took him from training in Texas to two cold winters in New Hampshire and then for one year in a desert in North Africa. The last part of his enlistment was spent in Omaha, Nebraska where he met a girl and when out, they were married. They raised four children while he worked as a Sales Engineer. His work took him all across the United States and Canada. Business also took him to Germany and South Korea. The places and people he has met has given him many story ideas. He is currently at work on his fourth novel, a thriller set in Washington, D.C.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Troy, Michigan

July 3, 1995

Monday 2:00 AM

Tony Palermo had been careful not to wake his wife and his daughter when he dressed and left the house. Now, as he got into his car he let it roll out into the street before he turned on the ignition.

He had a satisfied grin across his broad face as he thought about what everyone would think when they read the Detroit News tomorrow. They would be getting a different kind of fireworks. It will be an explosive article as well as all the follow-up articles that will be written in the following days and weeks.

Getting that first one started was no problem. All he needed to do was get that last piece of information in this morning’s meeting, and then he will start writing once he gets to the office.

As soon as he can, he would then have to recover all his files, tapes and video’s that he had safely stashed away. Then he will have everything he needs to continue the series.

After Palermo left his house, two men got out of a car and headed towards his house. A second car behind it started up and headed in the same direction as Palermo. The three men that were in the car sat quietly as they followed him. They kept a couple of blocks behind Palermo. They didn’t have to worry about losing him because they knew where he was going, plus as insurance, they had attached a tracking device to his car. Their main job was to make sure no one else was following him and that he got to the meeting.

Tony Palermo sipped on the instant coffee, it wasn’t the best but it was at least a jump-start for what he knew would be a very full and busy day. He was on a high, and surprisingly, even with very little sleep, he felt great. There was a lot of work to do and it promised to be a very rewarding day.

Later, he thought, when he got settled in the office he would give Tim McFadden a call. It had been hard to hold back this story from Tim, especially as close as they have been for most of their lives. Now, he was busting at the seams, he could hardly wait to give him the news. He knows Tim will be pissed off since he hadn’t told him what he has been working on over the past year. In fact, he let no one know, not even his boss, Al Carlson, who will also be upset. He had his reasons and once Tim and Al calmed down he’s sure they will both understand and agree with his logic.

It has been tough, especially since he and Tim have been close ever since they were in grade school. He was sure Tim would never let this come between them. He knew once he explained everything he would be just as excited as he was.

Yes, everything will fall in place and Tim will be back where he belongs. With prayers and some luck Tim and Louise will also get back together. Hopefully, he will find that out tomorrow when they come over for the Palermo annual family Fourth of July cookout.

Yes, everything was good. He will soon have the story of the decade or maybe the century and before long, another child.

Tony Palermo looked around; he was the only one on the road at this early hour and he was two blocks away from the rendezvous. He hoped it wouldn’t take too long. All the previous meetings with George Watkins and the one with Samantha were short. This one shouldn’t be any different. Even with that in mind, he had planned for the worst case scenario. His cautious side had a contingency plan in effect in case anything went wrong. He had taken care of that a week ago when they went up North to the cabin. He figured this weekend that he and Tim would go up to the cabin and fetch the trunk.

He looked over and doubled checked that his voice activated tape recorder hadn’t moved from its place under his seat.

When he arrived at the rendezvous, he was relieved when he saw that Samantha was already parked in the lot of the darkened gas station.

He’s there as planned Big Don and on time, said the driver, Carl Grover, a tall skinny man with a long greasy black ponytail.

Good, I like it when things go as planned, said the large man in the back seat. His voice sounded girlish, but neither Carl Grover nor Kurt Jonesy Jones, sitting next to him would ever dare to tease him, at least not to his face. Let's get moving, said Big Don.

As Palermo pulled into the lot Big Don and Jonesy got out of their car. Unnoticed by Palermo they walked up behind him as he was talking to Sam.

Palermo heard something behind him. He started to turn but strong arms wrapped around him and held him in a vise-like grip that had him immobilized. His eyes opened wide when he saw a large man who raised a pistol to his face and with his free hand got a strong hold on his nose forcing him to breathe through his mouth. He gasped for air and as he did he felt the cold steel of the pistol, as it not to gently was shoved into his mouth.

Samantha’s cell phone rang and she walked away out of hearing range. When she was done, she came up to him.

The only thing they found in your house was the envelope I gave you yesterday. I want to know where you hid the other information George Watkins gave you.

Tony’s eyes filled with fear, this bitch had someone at his home. Had they harmed Sharon and Janet?

Tony tasted blood as the big man roughly pulled the pistol from his mouth.

What have you done to my family? he shouted.

Nothing, all we want is what I’m asking for, tell me and I will let you go.

Tony didn’t know what to do, but he couldn’t let any harm come to Sharon and Janet. This didn’t look good, he didn’t know if he had a chance of getting out of this but he at least had to buy time for Sharon and Janet’s sake. If something happens to him he knows Tim will be right there for his family. Then, it came to him; thinking about Tim did it. He did have Tim’s article on the militia in his computer as well as Tim’s reference material.

I don’t keep anything that important in my home and my family never has any knowledge about what I work on until it comes out in print.

All right, get to the point. hissed Samantha.

Everything I have is on my computer at work. He gave them his password and the file name. When he did that, it seemed to satisfy Samantha.

Good, said Samantha, Now we are getting somewhere. She pulled out her cell phone.

The boys are on their way to his office. Big Don you and Jonesy take care of him. Samantha turned around and went back towards her car.

The pistol was jammed into his mouth again by the big man she called Big Don and this time he broke some of his teeth. He didn’t have a chance to wonder what was next, Big Don pulled the trigger and then there was nothing.

After the shot was fired Jonesy took Palermo and set his lifeless body in the driver’s seat of his car. Jonesy then made sure Palermo’s head was back so it would saturate the seat with his blood.

When Jonesy placed Palermo’s body in the car he noticed the Tape recorder on the floor. He gave it to Big Don who walked over towards Samantha.

Big Don called back to Jonesy. Make sure you make it look good Jonesy and then you better do a good search of his car for anything else.

No sweat. Jonesy wiped off the pistol Big Don had used then put it in Palermo’s hand, aimed the pistol skyward and pulled the trigger.

Look what we found Sam, said Big Don.

They played the tape and clearly heard Tony Palermo and George Watkins talking followed by Sam at their last meeting and this one.

The question is how many meetings Palermo and George Watkins had and are they all on tape. I think the bastard tricked us. Even if he has information on his computer, where are the tapes?"

Samantha made a call to the men that were at Palermo’s. Get to Palermo’s office and get his computer, then search his office and pick up any tapes you find, we will sort them out later.

Do you want me and the boys to go back and search Palermo’s house? Big Don said when she hung up.

Yes, but not just yet because I have something else for you and your boys to do in the meantime.

What’s that, said Big Don.

First find that fucking traitor George Watkins. The foreign voice came from a short stout Chinese man standing by the passenger side of Sam’s car. The language didn’t seem appropriate for someone who was dressed in an Armani black business suit and wearing designer eyeglasses and looking like a Wall Street Banker or a Stockbroker. Neither of which he was.

He walked confidently to the front of the car. I want you to bring Watkins to me alive and I guarantee you that I will find out very quickly what Watkins told Palermo and what he gave Palermo and where it is located.

When Samantha Moorhead was back in the car Chen Fulin looked over at her. She was indeed a very beautiful woman, but he had a hard time doing business with her. Not because of her beauty but because she is a woman. In China this would never happen. But here in the United States women did not know their place.

His assignment was to supply the Militias with arms, but that racist bastard General Clarkston appointed her as his contact with the Militia. He only wished there was someone higher up then Clarkston. He would then see how he could circumvent both him and this woman.

Fulin knew General Clarkston had assigned her as his representative to show his contempt for all Chinese. He knew he had no use for Chinese, except for the weapons they supplied.

The General and Samantha and all the rest of them could have their way for now, but in the end it was China that would dominate them and then he would have his revenge.

Chen Fulin had no question in his mind that he would finish this assignment to Comrade Kui Ling’s satisfaction. He would not give Comrade Ling any reason to ever doubt him again.

At Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 3, 1989 was the only time Comrade Ling had any doubts about him. Chen has never forgotten that day. He had hesitated on shooting the University students that sat blocking the road. Comrade Ling was his Major at the time and he was one of his Lieutenants then and Ling had ordered him and his men to fire. Chen Fulin hesitated to give the order. Comrade Ling must have seen something in his eyes because he drew his own pistol. Chen thought he was going to be shot. Before that could happen Chen turned to the nearest student and shot him in the head. He and his men then started shooting until there was nothing but dead bodies lying in the street. Chen remembered he felt like a mad man as he had emptied his pistol and then kept reloading until he was out of bullets. As he stood there in blood, Comrade Ling came up to him and paid him a rare complement. He and his men had the largest kill rate for the day.

From that moment on he never again hesitated to follow an order.

Now, here he was in decadent America, the enemy of the Peoples Republic of China. These people had no respect or morals, he knew that here, if called upon, he would not hesitate to shoot any one of them, including the woman sitting next to him. Their society needed cleansing. He and his comrades would someday see to that.

These so called Revolution of American People’s Militia or RAP as they were so fondly called by their members. They were no more than street thugs as far as he was concerned. They were not true patriotic freedom fighters. They did not embrace communism as does the Peoples Republic of China.

When they are conquered they will never be more than slaves. He had to keep reminding himself that the RAP militia services are needed now, but just as a tool to bring chaos within the United States. When the United States is in flames and riots prevail in their major cities, what’s left of the United States Government will have no choice when the PRC sends the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to come to their aid. Eventually, after order is established, the PRC will govern the United States and right this evil country.

Troy, Michigan

July 3, 1995

Monday 5:30 AM

Sharon Palermo was startled awake by the persistent ringing of the doorbell. She looked over and saw that Tony was not in bed and figured he must be going to answer the door at this ungodly hour. Earlier she woke up and heard a noise downstairs. She had looked over and saw the empty space next to her and figured Tony was downstairs doing work like he has done on other nights. Too many as far as she was concerned, but, that was Tony, when he had something on his mind he had to get it down on paper right away.

She got up and went to the bathroom. When she was done, someone was still ringing the doorbell. After she washed her hands she noticed Tony had left her a note.

As she quickly read it her irritation with the door turned to fear. She threw on her bathrobe and ran downstairs to the front door. She first looked out through the side window. It was still dark outside and all she could see was a portly bald man, who looked familiar, she turned on the porch light.

Sharon Palermo’s heart sank when she opened the door and saw the sad look on Al Carlson’s face and the tears that were rolling down his pudgy cheeks.

Chapter 2

Royal Oak, Michigan

July 3, 1995

Monday 6:45 AM

When the timer went off Tim McFadden stopped tapping the rolled up newspaper on his muscular leg. He opened the microwave and grabbed the coffee cup with a hot pad.

He sat down at the table and then sipped at the coffee. He carefully took the rubber band off the newspaper, unrolled the paper and then spread it out in front of him.

He scanned the front page. Monday July 3, 1995. One day after his uneventful and lonely thirty fifth birthday.

His dark blue eyes came to rest on an article of interest to him; it was about the AA. 60 years of Alcoholics Anonymous Celebrated, This weekend. He read the newspaper out loud as he always did when he was alone, which for the past year was most of the time. "The AA is holding its International convention in San Diego, California. They expect the biggest gathering AA has ever organized, 70,000 to 80,000 members and guests.

But not this drunk. I don’t have a sponsor and I’m to broke to go on my own.

He momentarily thought about calling Tony. Then thought with the holiday it was definitely too late to call to see if the Detroit News would be interested in a member of the local AA reporting on the convention.

He smiled. Al Carlson, Tony’s editor, would probably laugh Tony right out of his office if he told him he wanted to send one of his ex-reporters and an ex-drunk. Especially if he told him it was Timothy Patrick McFadden.

Of course he knew Tony wouldn’t be foolish enough to give Al Carlson his real name. Tony would give Carlson his alias, Tim Robertson.

Tony had given him that name when he gave him his first job assignment as a freelancer. It was a year ago, the day he swore off the booze. Tony had said keep Tim to make it easy. Robertson was also easy to remember because his father's name was Robert, hence Roberts-son. Tony had said to him, if you can’t keep that name straight in your mind then the booze did more damage to you than I thought. That was a day he will never forget, it was also the day he joined Alcoholics Anonymous.

McFadden continued on reading the article. From its beginning Alcoholics Anonymous pioneered a problem solving technique that has become firmly rooted in the American psycho-social soil: that people with similar problems can improve their plight by sharing their experiences and offering sympathy and encouragement to one another.

To him it seemed like years ago, but it had been only a year since he had ‘Shared his experiences,’ and he hadn’t taken a drink since. Of course there had been many times since then that he could have used a good stiff drink.

It angered him to think back to those foolish times before he stopped drinking and think about how screwed up. He was either working or drinking, sometimes both at the same time. It was really ironic as he thought about it, the years at West Point, in training for operations, in combat and on black ops, he rarely had a drink. And they were all darn good reasons to drink. Make him a citizen soldier and he turned into a drunk.

He was so damn blind at the time; he never saw the end coming of his marriage or his job. He was lucky that it didn’t also end his career in the reserves.

Painfully he recalled his worst night. It was after the bars had closed and of course he had drunk more than his share of booze. He had tried to be quiet when he came home, but he tripped over an end table and a lamp crashed to the floor. He thought for sure that would have woken both Louise and Timmy, but it didn’t. He had come home to an empty apartment and a Note.

McFadden opened his wallet and carefully took out the much worn note and just stared at it. He didn’t have to read it; the words were embedded in his mind.

Tim. We can’t go on living like this. Timmy and I are moving in with my Mom and Dad until I can figure out what I’m going to do with my life. Louise.

He had felt like crap and remembered at that moment his craving for a drink was overpowering. He had tried to keep an image of Louise and Timmy in his mind to help him overcome the urge, but they kept fading away. He had tried hard but the urge to drink won out. He couldn’t take it anymore, his hands were shaking and sweat was rolling down his face and burning his eyes.

He had run into the kitchen and opened the cupboard where he had a half bottle of whiskey. He had reached for a glass but his hands shook so bad he couldn’t even fill the glass. Instead he brought the bottle up to his lips and only managed to spill the whiskey all over the front of him. His eyes went wild and he banged the bottle against the cabinet knocking off the end of the bottle.

He had brought the jagged end of the bottle up to his lips and as he did, let out an ear-piercing scream. He cried out not only from the pain but from the craziness of it all.

He threw the bottle across the kitchen and he fell to the floor sobbing and shaking.

That morning when he awoke on the kitchen floor, he was lying in booze, broken glass and his own blood. At that moment he made his decision.

God what a stupid dumb ass fool I was. I had a wonderful wife and son. A great job with the paper and there I was alone. Fourteen years of marriage blown away because of booze. He had let the damn booze consume him and rule his life.

Yes, he shouted, just as he did when he shared his experience at AA the first time. I am an Alcoholic and a Workaholic and it destroyed my family life and career.

But today, he hoped, he wished, he prayed, was going to be the start of a new life. Louise was going to let him have Timmy for the day. It had been too long a time without Louise and Timmy in his life.

The microwave buzzer went off. He needed that second cup of coffee to calm his nerves, just like he used to need a double or triple shot of whiskey first thing in the morning.

The clock chimed seven times. That was his signal to turn on the television news to see what the competition had to say this clear