Tatsu - The Threat

Chapter 33 - Tantalus

"Mr. Brian!" shouted Will as he entered the office unannounced and catching his breath.

"Yes Will." answered Brian calmly analyzing a number on his 55-inch computer screen.

"Someone took Zhi!" said Will winded.

"What?" asked Brian staring at Will with a deep and frightening gaze.

"What do you mean someone took him? Where's my son!" said Brian standing up rapidly.

"Get me in touch with Carlos, now!"

"That's the problem sir. I keep calling, but I get no answer. Come with me to the control room so I can show you!" replied Will.

"You see that van and the cars. Someone intercepted them. I see bodies around our two cars, but I don't see Zhi. It seems like a planned kidnapping," said Will displaying his despair in his stare.

Brian couldn't contain his enraged fear of someone hurting Zhi. Just the thought that someone lay a hand on his little boy. He began punching and kicking through computer equipment, screens, tables and chairs destroying the control room in a matter of seconds. The computer operators  ran out of there as if running for their lives. Drained of all energy, Brian paused for a moment, took his phone and called Zhen.

"Honey, someone kidnapped Zhi. I will bring him back to you. I give you my word!" he told her gently, exhaling. Brian hung up and crushed his phone with his bare hand.

"Take me to the scene!" he told Will.

Brian walked out of the destroyed control room, he stopped, and slowly looked up and roared into the air, "Put the word out around the whole fucking world. My son has been taken and they have 24 hours to bring him back to me. Let them know I will not stop. You let them know I'm coming for my boy!"

Will drove Brian to the scene at top speed along with a fleet of 20 vehicles packed with Brian's top guards and mercenaries. On the way, Brian called Beelzebub from his car phone. "B, my son Zhi's been kidnapped. Bring your best men and meet me tonight at my office 8:00 PM. Don't be late!"

Will and his group of enraged killers arrived at the scene where the police were already at work.

"Mr. Brian, you cannot be here sir. We're collecting evidence from the crime scene. I'm sorry but I must ask you to leave," said Captain Jonah Gorman, who figured out this was an attack against Brian's family. Only very bad things could come out of this.

Brian looked at the Captain. "Tell me what you know so far and we'll take over from here. I have the best men money can buy. My son was kidnapped and I suggest no one gets in my way." The Captain didn't dare question Brian's resolve.

Anthony was a Native American assassin who was an expert at analyzing a scene and figuring out the who, what, when, where and most importantly the why. The Captain asked his men to cooperate with Brian and his team.

Brian himself walked the crime scene looking for clues. He saw Carlos's body with 5 shots around his whole body. It was obvious he put up a fight to protect his son. Brian covered the body with a jacket that was in Zhi's car and paid his respect. It was also obvious that the adversary outnumbered his guards and that they were also professionals. The bullets came from Uzi's and AK-47s, very familiar weapons to Brian and his team.

Brian continued walking the scene closing his eyes and picturing Zhi in the middle of crossfire, imagining Zhi following every instruction he had given him for situations like this. It brought him relief and he grinned as he opened his eyes.

Anthony approached Brian and said "Sir. The kidnappers are Iranians. Professional, extremist type, about ten of them. The objective was to take Zhi alive and kill all others. We can tell that their blockade was planned for today's route so they must have had intel on Zhi's itinerary. This is not about money. Not a terrorist act. It seems personal."