Later that night at the improvised bar, Kathy sidled up close to Jack’s good side and said, “Wounded or not, big guy, you’re okay. Now, sweet dreams. I’m going to bed – want to join me?”
The next morning at ten o’clock they watched the morning news while nursing their first coffees. CNN and FOX carried essentially the same story. According to them the police were investigating the death of a female impersonator in Central Park South. She or he had two sets of identification and a large sum of money. The cause of death is pending the coroner’s findings. The police spokesman said they were still investigating this bizarre event. As the news was ending, Anita grabbed Jack and told him to take off his shirt. It was time for another inspection and bandage change. She found no angry red swelling or fever, and the patient was taking his antibiotics and pain medication. She gave Jack three gold stars and sent him off to breakfast.
Over breakfast of eggs, bacon, grits and toast, Jack talked about yesterday’s action and said, “People, we were lucky. That’s okay, luck always plays a part. On the good side we carried out the mission. The New York City bombing cell is wiped out, and we all got back.”
Anita grinned at Kathy and said, “Only the boss was scratched. Fortunately, our boss is even better at hand-to-hand combat than I thought he was. Next time no weapon for him.”
“In a close fight I’m more confident with my Hapkido skills than with a weapon. Our planning was okay, but we made some mistakes. We knew he was skilled with a knife. Considering all the danger he was facing with the whole city police force looking for him, I never dreamed he would come to his meeting with Yuri relying on his knife. I was looking for the move to pull a gun. Instead he pulled his knife, using some kind of a quick release forearm sheath.
“We knew he was good at disguises and he had dressed as a female before. Yet I wasn’t looking for a woman and doubted Anita when she told me to watch the woman. She didn’t like her walk or handbag. Thank God for the eyes of a woman. Our other lady did not have a chance to spot this female impersonator. Okay, Anita. Tell us what made you suspicious?”
“Well, I was kinda looking for a woman. Then, too, there really wasn’t anyone else near enough, and I thought this guy with decades of experience living illegally in this country would be very, very disciplined. Therefore, he wasn’t going to be late. The woman wasn’t walking like a woman. Nothing was moving except her legs. No hips. No shoulders. She was damn near marching. She was trying to give a well-dressed matronly appearance but was wearing funky shoes and her handbag in no way complemented anything from shoes to hat. I thought no woman with money would dress like that.
“When Olsen dove into the bushes, I thought he was gone. The way he was moving, I figured only a straight-on shot would get him. And if he were wearing a vest, he would make his getaway. I had no shot. All in all, conducting the operation we did on the enemy’s turf, we did better than okay. We barely had time to do a walkthrough. When a guy’s going to set off a bomb anytime from yesterday to a couple of weeks later, and you don’t know when or where, there is not much choice. You have to go with what you have.”
Facts and Fictions 