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Although Denning was satisfied for the most part with Wade's diversion, he was afraid it may not be enough. That damned Shoemaker and that bitch girlfriend of his had to get the Womacks involved... just when the whole thing had begun to die down. He paced the private quarters in the West Wing wanting to call Przybysz for a diversion of another kind, but didn't want to risk it. He needed Przybysz' talents- but talents of a different kind... it would also serve to test his loyalty. Przybysz showed up expecting to be sent on one of Denning's perverse errands...
"Przybysz," Denning began, "I have an assignment... a very important one."
"How old this time?" Przybysz asked in a tired voice.
"Not this time," Denning replied, to Przybysz' relief. "I have something more in line with your other skills- something that should prove more to your liking."
"What is it?" Przybysz asked.
"I need to know something first," Denning said. "How much can I trust you... How much can Lockhart trust you?"
"What's this about?" Przybysz asked, his curiosity growing.
"Shoemaker," Denning said. "He's out to take us down... All of us. Do you think he'll be satisfied with just me? He won't stop until he gets us all... me, you, Lockhart, all of us... And if I go down, we all go down."
"What do you want me to do?" Przybysz asked trying his best to sound sincere.
"Take him out," Denning said bluntly. "I don't care how you do it... I just want him gone."
"And the girl?"
"I don't care," Denning shrugged.
"If something happens to him, she won't let up until..." Przybysz didn't get a chance to finish.
"Better get her too then," Denning said.
"What about the Womacks?" Przybysz was fishing.
"Jesus Christ, Przybysz," Denning laughed. "You can't kill everybody."
"I just wanted to know how far you wanted me to go with this," Przybysz told him.
"Only as far as you have to... you're supposed to be the expert."
"All right," Przybysz got up to leave.
"All right, what?" Denning asked crossly.
"What do you mean?" Przybysz knew exactly what he meant.
"I'm the fucking President," Denning shouted. "Show some respect for the office- if not for me."
"Ok," Przybysz replied. He turned as he got to the door: Mr. fucking President."
"Insolent prick," Denning spat when he had gone. he picked up his phone and called Duke Wade.
"Duke, I want you to check with NSA... I want you to trace every call that comes or goes from Przybysz' phones for the next couple hours," he said.
"Yes, Sir," Wade replied. "Anything in particular you're looking for?"
"No," Denning said back. "I just want a record of all calls, cell, home, office... everything- incoming and outgoing."
"Very well, Sir," Wade said. "I'll be in touch in a couple of hours, Mr. President."
Denning hung up thinking; 'Przybysz could learn a thing or two about respect from that guy.'
When he was safely away, Przybysz took out his secure phone and made a call...
"Dick, Prz," he said, "I've got something for you."
"What's up buddy?" Dick asked.
"I just came from a meeting with Denning." Przybysz went on hurriedly, "It's Bret Shoemaker- Denning wants him gone."
"Gone?" Dick asked.
"You know what I'm talking about," Przybysz responded. "The girl too, Lena... he wants this over- whatever it takes."
"You know this isn't going to go away," Dick said back. "It's gone way too far."
"I didn't expect it would," Przybysz said. "Is there somewhere we can meet?"
"Can you make it here without being tailed?" Dick asked.
"Yeah, of course," Przybysz said.
Dick gave him directions to the townhouse and then called the Crew together along with Bret, Lena and the Senator. He had told them about his meeting with Przybysz but not of the substance... he read them in so there wouldn't be any surprises when Przybysz showed up. The Womacks were there too.
At the White House, Denning got the call he was waiting for...
"Mr. President," it was SecDef, Duke Wade.
"Yes Duke," Denning replied, "do you have what I asked for?"
"Yes Sir," Wade said. "There was only one call- from Victor Lockhart. He wants Przybysz to fly to New York for a meeting tomorrow."
"That's it?" Denning pressed the SecDef for more. "No one else?"
"No Sir," Wade responded, "no one."
"Ok, Duke, thanks," Denning said.
"Yes, Sir. Is there anything else?" Wade asked.
"No, Duke, that's it for now," Denning said. "Thanks again."
In Georgetown, Przybysz showed up at Dick's townhouse to find the Crew anxiously waiting.
"Prz," Dick said when they were all seated in the living room, "this is Bret Shoemaker, his fiancee Lena Cedeno, Senator Ashby's aide. The Senator I'm sure you recognize, Jim, Ann and Ann's brother David- my family."
After introductions Przybysz approached Bret: "So, you're Bret Shoemaker, nice to meet you. I'm the guy that's supposed to kill you," he said with a laugh.
Bret was a little taken aback: "Nice to meet you too- it's not every day you get to meet your own assassin."
"Look," Przybysz said seriously. "We've got to do something to keep these kids safe. Denning won't stop until Bret's dead... Lena too."
"Any ideas, Prx?" Dick asked.
"I've got to fly to New York tomorrow for a meeting with Lockhart- that'll buy a little time. When I get back, Denning will expect me to make the hit."
"What if you don't come back from New York?" Lean asked
"I have to," Przybysz told her. "If I don't you're in bigger danger than before... besides, I'm as dedicated to taking this bastard down as any of you."
"What's this to you, if you don't mind me asking?" It was Jim.
"I guess you might as well know it all," Przybysz responded. "You know Denning's a pervert... you know from the episode with Melissa..."
"So it was Denning behind our daughter's murder?" Larry Womack cut in.
"I can't say positively, but it has to be him... why else would he go to such lengths to thwart the investigation?"
"Mr. Przybysz," Bret asked, "you really wouldn't have...?"
Przybysz laughed heartily: "What kind of hitman would I be if I went around warning my targets?"
"Anyways," Przybysz continued, "like I was saying, Denning's a freak- a really dark one... You know what happened between him and Melissa. Now it's kids, teens... and it's not just sex and beatings... Now the guy's turned into a walking snuff film."
They all looked at him aghast. Ann spoke first: "You mean he's..."
"Yeah," Przybysz cut her off. "And I'm stuck with cleaning up his mess... So believe me- I want this over much, much more than you do."
They sat for awhile letting it all sink in. No wonder Przybysz had switched sides.
"Why don't you just turn him in?" Lena asked.
"He's the President of the United States," Senator Ashby put in. "Do you have any idea what that would do to the office itself... look at what Nixon's little escapade did to erode public trust... and that was nothing, mostly fabricated and blown up by the media. Can you imagine what something of this magnitude would do? It would destroy the country- we've got to find another way."
"Bret," Dick said turning to the journalist, "this doesn't leave this room... agreed?" Dick looked around the room- everyone nodded assent.
"I'm going up to New York in the morning. I'll be back by evening... just go on like I was never here," Przybysz told the group. "Denning won't expect anything for a few days anyway... maybe I can come up with something in between."
They said their goodbyes and Bret walked Przybysz to the door. "I don't know how to thank you, Mr. Przybysz."
"You can start by calling me Prz," he told the nervous journalist. "Don't look so worried... it will all turn out- believe me."
"Ok, Prz," they shook hands and Przybysz left.
(For links to previous chapters- go to Chapter XV)
@richq11/the-night-gods-ii-chapter-xv-the-boogeyman
@richq11/the-night-gods-ii-chapter-xvi-wars-and-rumors-of-wars
@richq11/the-night-gods-ii-chapter-xvii-blood-of-the-innocent
@richq11/the-night-gods-ii-chapter-xviii-connecting-the-dots
@richq11/the-night-gods-ii-chapter-xix-the-night-the-lights-went-out-in-georgia
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