Day at the Beach Ch. 40

Chapter 40

Joseph still did not move when he heard the Land Rover pull to the curb. He could see the dim glow of the headlights through the heavy curtain that crossed the window of the living as the vehicle came to a stop and the engine shut off. When he heard the doors of the truck open and close and heard the voices of Brad and Susan he slipped the night vision goggles into place on his head and picked up the first item on the table in front of him.

He was hoping that this would go as planned. He had very carefully gone through each step of his plan. He thought about Brad and Susan while he was waiting. They seemed like a nice enough of a couple. He knew they had been drawn into this by circumstances, especially Brad, and sincerely hoped that the two of them would survive this operation, or, in fact, survive the night. Unfortunately there was always collateral damage. That's what the agency called it when innocent bystanders or people who got sucked up into the vortex of intrigue ended up dead. Joseph Eichmann was not above killing people. He had done it many times.

When Recon entered the front door, he did so with his nose as his guide. The room was pitch black. It only took the well trained dog a second to assess the situation and know that someone was in there. But, a second was too long. Joseph sat waiting for Recon, knowing he would be the first one through the door. Joseph shot him immediately, dropping the dog to the floor with a quiet thump. He picked up the second weapon and fired that at Brad as he entered the house with the same results. He had to wait a moment for Susan, as she hesitated at the door, calling Brad's name with a worried tone, but she entered too and he shot her in the neck just as he had Brad and Recon. He then picked up a .357 pistol and held it steadily in front of him, pointing it at the three bodies green bodies glowing through the night vision goggles on the floor. They did not move and he let loose a sigh of relief. He did not want to use the gun. It was too loud, too messy, and absolutely too final.

Grunting from the stiffness of old bones too long in one position he rose slowly to his feet and turned a lamp light on. He inspected all three bodies before opening the clasp on Recon's collar and removing the highly classified weapons information.

“Clever idea.” he said to Brad's prone and limp body. Joseph then removed the tranquilizer darts from the necks of his three victims and placed them back into the leather bag with the other equipment that he had removed earlier. Picking up his bag he stopped at the door for a moment before exiting the house. He studied the three of them, Brad, Susan and Recon, for a long moment.

Joseph never had the opportunity to settle down and have a family. He envied them their potential for the future. He wondered what their children would look like and what it would be like to watch them grow through the years. What it would be like to grow old and familiar with each other as he hoped that they would. The time has passed Joseph by, but he could still have relative comfort, a degree of satisfaction from the life that he had led.

“You kids have a good life.” He said as he walked out the door. “Stay out of trouble.” They were oblivious of his concerns and comments as they lay unconscious.

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