by India Kells
“It wasn’t my intention, our intention, to hide anything from you. Stopping the distribution of Phantom is our only goal.”
The professor pondered on her words. “No wonder the traffickers are using the tunnels. There are so many ins and outs. However, tunnels that aren’t used, or most importantly, forgotten, aren’t that common. Not anymore. There are always people around.”
“You mean because scholars like you are in them? Mapping it out before revealing it to the world, professor?”
His mouth resumed the smile she remembered from the day before. “I think that after what just happened, where your hand and my mouth have been, you should call me Luke.”
He wasn’t wrong on that. “Well, Luke, that’s the reason we contacted you, but we learned we weren’t the only ones. As a matter of fact, they’ve been on you for a while and grew tired of being ignored.”
“And that leads me to two more questions. Who is after me, and how do you know I’ve received those emails?”
Sloane winced. “For the emails, let’s say that someone on our side with uncanny talent found that bit of information. As for the other question, it leads to a man by the name of Mr. White.”
“Okay, I’ll skip the bit about hacking into my accounts, as it happened before our agreement. Now, who is Mr. White? And is he real?”
“Very real. A few weeks ago, we had a tip about Phantom making a leap over the Atlantic and coming to Chicago. There was a bidding war over the exclusivity of the lab here. Or, more precisely, the formula. Mr. White won, even killed his partner over it. Everything is concealed under his conglomerate, Maximon. We almost got him, almost shut all this down before he invaded Chicago with his poison. We failed and now we’re trying to plug the holes in a ship that is sinking faster than we dare to admit. Mr. White has all but vanished, so our only avenue is to track him from the bottom up, go after his minions in the hopes we get enough information on the way to bring him down. It hasn’t worked so far, so my suggestion was to put a crick in his business and bug him enough that he comes out and confront us.”
Luke put his empty cup down and stood. “Like poking at a tiger with a short stick. Sounds desperate or damn stupid to me.”
Now, the last of the lust fumes were blown away. “People are dying from that drug!”
“And you, and whoever you’re working for, including the Vigilante, are willing to just step randomly in front of bullets to stop him?”
“Not randomly. But it’s a risk we all accept. The Vigilante knows that death may be part of the equation. What if that fateful bullet stops it all? Wouldn’t you take the risk?”
She knew the man in front of her would do it. He’d been a Marine. He’d faced that possibility, that sacrifice. It was written all over his face for a second.
“Sloane, the bullet can be avoided with a plan. Sacrifice is an end, but if everything starts over once you’re dead, you won’t be there to take care of it, to support the Vigilante.”
Death didn’t scare her. Maybe because so little tied her to life besides her purpose.
“We were right to contact you. You’re the voice of reason, aren’t you? The logical mind. There was no way we would’ve contacted you unless it was our last resort. I promise it will only be for this and that it will be done anywhere you like, far from any danger. We won’t put you in the line of fire, risk your life or your job. That’s a promise I can make.”
“It may prove impossible to keep that part of the promise. The thing is, there’s no definitive, complete map of all the tunnels, not yet at least. I can give you a sort of basic map, but we’re discovering more each time urbex is done.”
Before she could argue on the fieldwork, there was something requiring clarification. “Urbex? What’s that?”
There it was, that infamous smile. “Urbex is short for urban exploration. It involves going into abandoned places and exploring them, and for the scholars among us, mapping them and preserving them for future generations. And in this case, preventing traffickers from using those installations.”
“Right. I didn’t know it was a thing. I thought only rebellious teenagers and homeless people hung out down there.”
“Them too. It can be dangerous on many levels. Failing structures, potential hazardous gas, mold, critters... the risks are endless.”
“You’re not talking about the criminals.”
“Them too, although, they’re not as common as you’d think, from my experience at least. Although this an exception on a major scale.”
Sloane saw where he was going, and she wasn’t sure it was a road she liked at all. “And is all this your way of telling me that even if I order you to stay put, you won’t? Even for your own safety?”
Luke put his hands in his pockets. “I stopped taking orders when I left the Marines. It wasn’t a suggestion. I go in with the Vigilante, be his guide. I know you’ve seen my files, and I suppose even my service record. I know how to handle myself, especially in urbex. That’s the deal.”
Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. There was no way she’d allow him to get close to her when she was the Vigilante, not when it was her turn to wear the mask. However, he was right, and she had to find a way to make it work. “The Vigilante goes into the field solo, but recon work would be helpful.”
Luke came closer. “I can do that. I can go underground and continue mapping. If I do it during the day, the risk of being seen is minimal, and I can look for clues as to whether certain tunnels are in use or not on a regular basis. I can make it work.”
His energy was too much, almost overwhelming, and Sloane twisted on her stool to put some distance between them. “Replace that I with we, and I think it could work.”
“I think it would be better if the Vigilante learns all of this first-hand. Nothing against you, just cutting out the middleman.”
There could be some workarounds for that, but the team was stretched as it was, and Sloane didn’t want to put more pressure on them. “He’s busy working other leads. We can’t afford to only focus on one possibility. There’s too much at stake. You must see that. If we can find the tunnels they’re using, we can pave the way for the Vigilante to do the takedown.”
When Luke nodded, it required a lot of self-control not to do a fist pump. The man would be a tough sell on everything that could go down, and she couldn’t take anything for granted.
“Okay, so it’s the two of us until we make the rats run out so the Vigilante can bring them down.”
“Excellent. Tell me everything that you need in regard to equipment, material, resources, and I’ll make it happen.”
He extended his hand, and Sloane shook it to seal the deal, although it only reminded her of them together less than an hour ago. Instead of releasing her hand after a good shake, he pulled at her. There was no doubt in her mind that she could have broken free, but why didn’t she want to? She wasn’t the type who liked being bossed around, but the way he forced her forward, it felt less like an order and more like an irresistible magnet.
“You’re derailing the conversation, professor.”
But once more, his hand went to her hair and before she could utter a word, his mouth was on hers. She’d had intense connections in the past, but none were as explosive as this one.
Indulging for a minute, or maybe two, she leaned back. The kiss was seriously messing with her ability to think, as much as the rising anticipation of a repeat of earlier tempted her, but she had to pass the message on. “Professor, I don’t think it would be wise to...”
Instead of releasing her like she expected, all apologetic and gentlemanly, Luke cocked his head. “You want me to let you go?”
She frowned at his tone. “I agree that I jumped you earlier, but it was only to get rid of the tension buzzing between us, so we could focus on the more important matter.”
Again, he didn’t budge. “That was the reason, huh? Some kind of biological function that needed to be addressed? You’re weird, Ms. Friday.”
He
surprised her once more by taking her mouth in another searing kiss.
Just as Sloane was about to let herself be swept away, it was Luke’s turn to pull back, leaving her on unsteady feet. “Say whatever you want, Ms. Friday, but I don’t think that earlier fuck has dampened what’s between us. You don’t seem like a woman who’d be sidetracked by anything or anyone when on a mission. Am I right?”
“I was referring to your brain and hormones, professor. You’re the one who holds the success of this entire endeavor on his shoulders.”
Luke scratched his bearded chin. “I’ve had bombs exploding all around me and still carried out my mission. So please, stop dumping your doubts and uncertainties on me.”
That affirmation felt like a punch in the gut, him insinuating she might be the one impacting it all.
“Now, you asked for a list, I’ll put one together. I think that time is of the essence, especially since the area to explore is vast, and there may be other places to check too.”
And, before she could reply, Luke dismissed her, grabbing his messenger bag to retrieve a pen and paper.
Not that she was clinging to that quick morning session of intense sex, she never did. Despite what Luke had said, she viewed attachment as the greater weakness, not sex. Sex had never sidetracked her, ever.
Chapter 9
With everything that needed to be done, Luke was glad he was always organized. He didn’t have access to his usual gear, but at least all his notes and documents were on the cloud, accessible anywhere, anytime.
Sloane was out running errands, so he had time to pull the necessary data out and work on a primary plan, starting at the place he’d seen the Vigilante and the traffickers for the first time.
Luke was still debating if he should reveal that bit of information to Sloane and he wasn’t sure why as he was now working for the Vigilante, so to speak. He put it down to his natural reluctance to share his urbex passion with anyone apart from a very restricted circle of friends.
With his stuff spread over the kitchen counter, he was inputting new data into his electronic GPS, one he’d helped design with a friend. GPS was impossible to use underground, but with a few tricks and features, it could give an approximate location, enough to keep a sense of direction until the system could pick up and update the signal.
Now that everything was sorted, his thoughts went to Sloane and whether or not she could manage urban exploration. Luke knew first-hand that not everybody could do urbex, let alone be efficient while doing it. And this particular mission was all about that; constant danger lurked, and not only the underground criminals. The tunnels themselves weren’t always walkable, and they led to abandoned structures that could turn into death traps.
There were so many routes the traffickers could use, and he was certain that danger would be far from their minds, which made his task even more difficult.
A clatter came from the garage underneath him, letting him know his pink-haired sidekick was back. The knowledge of her arrival revved up his system. No surprise there, as there was a definite attraction between them, and not the sweet and angelic kind. Luke could still feel the sensation of her nails digging into his shoulders. A tingle made him rub the palm of his hands at the memory of her lithe body, both athletic and full of curves, hard and so soft at the same time. What struck him even more was how they’d come together, as if they were caught in a battle until he sensed her surrender in his arms. Beyond the pleasure, it had been a powerful moment. Until it ended and he could no longer feel the warmth of her skin under his fingers.
However, the fiery Ms. Friday was probably the wisest of the two of them by pulling away and making it clear that it had been a way to relieve the pressure. Since he’d embarked on his Ph.D. and began teaching and researching, it was fair to say that sex had been exactly that to him. He didn’t see why that couldn’t be the case again, especially with a playmate such as her. It wasn’t like he was dreaming of forever.
On that thought, a pink storm came through the door. “Hey, I left most of the stuff in the truck downstairs, and I hope I got everything. Your list was quite exhaustive.” She whistled when her eyes landed on the counter. “You’ve been busy yourself. I want to know everything about what it is you’ve been doing.”
Luke grabbed his device and went for his coat. “I think there’s nothing better than showing it to you. Right away.”
“Now you’ll have to explain why we’re in this nondescript underground parking lot that I know from studying your maps doesn’t have a tunnel underneath.”
Sloane’s impatient tone made him smile but that was far from surprising. “Already doubting my skills and knowledge?”
At least she had the good sense to look contrite, even if it was only for his benefit. “I need explanations. It’s the quickest way to shut me up.”
Luke went to the farthest spot, one he remembered from a few years ago. “There’s a reason we’re here. My first idea was to look at the most obvious entry points, but I’m guessing the Vigilante and his team have already done that. My second option was for us to verify less known entry points. We’re out from the actual tunnels, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t accessible. The advantage of this place is that it doesn’t have cameras and because of that, you can see how traffickers would have a blast using this one. It’s been a while since I’ve checked it, but I think it has potential.”
Turning off the engine, he didn’t wait for her answer and went to the back of the truck. What she’d brought was perfect, and undeniably high quality. It had been years since he’d indulged in new equipment. A professor’s salary wasn’t that much, he always put it off.
He gathered all he needed in record time. Experience had told him that a few select pieces were worth more than carrying the bulk of it around. After handing Sloane a bag holding part of the equipment, Luke slung the other over his shoulder before shutting the back door.
Sloane spun around. “Is it where we say Open Sesame and the wall magically opens?”
Not answering her, Luke walked to the drain cover in the corner and pulled it off. “Is your tetanus shot up to date?”
Ignoring her snarl, he switched on his flashlight and took a look at what was below. The access was narrow, but he didn’t see any water reflection, which was a real bonus. At this time of year, if snow accumulated, there was a risk of high water or ice blockages.
Turning, Luke extended his hand. “Ladies first.”
Sloane eyed the hole. “What? No ladder?”
“I’ll help you down, come on.”
He had to give it to her, despite the tiniest hesitation, she grabbed his wrists and almost jumped down.
“I won’t be able to lower you completely. You’ll have to fall the rest of the way.”
Her head jerked up with almost a comical look. “Fall? Fall? You’re kidding me!”
“Come on, Friday! It’s only a little jump. Anyway, at least I’m letting you know.”
The drop was a couple of feet, but with her scream, it was as if he’d let her fall down the Grand Canyon. A quick look around told him that the parking lot was still empty, so he climbed down. The trick was to replace the cover at the same time, which required a lot of strength and a bit of practice. The landing was all but smooth. At least there wasn’t any water. As he remembered, outside of the shaft the tunnel wasn’t high enough for him to stand upright, but that wouldn’t be a problem since they were close to the main connection, which was higher.
Sloane was already pointing her beam of light on both sides of the tunnel, everything forgotten but the mission. “Which way?”
That part, Luke was certain. “We need to head south for now or left if you prefer.” He didn’t wait for her to start walking and took the lead. The smell was rancid but not overpowering, which told him that the ventilation wasn’t that bad for now. After a while, he was relieved to reach the main tunnel and could finally straighten. “If we go to our right, the path leads outside to a busy street, so I guess it’s n
ot a good option to explore.”
Sloane nodded, her light already on the left. “So we check out the other way.” As echoes reverberated around them, she lowered her voice. “Whoa, didn’t know sound carried so loudly down here.”
“And far, too. Try to keep your voice low and flat. Echoes can distract us from other sounds. Our ears are pretty much all we can count on for the moment.”
“Ever used night goggles during an exploration?”
“The trick is to carry as little equipment as possible, both for stealth and accessibility. Yes, night goggles would be nice, but they’re cumbersome, and they’d have to take the place of other more useful, or even vital, equipment.”
Sloane didn’t have a smart come back on that one, and Luke felt a shift in her. It wasn’t as if she was nervous, but rather alert. He only had a glimpse of her face as they continued walking, and it was enough to see that even if she was a rookie, she wasn’t skittish or scared, the total opposite of anybody doing urbex for the first time. Not only that, but it was how she walked and moved. Silent and careful, despite the uneven terrain and inconsistent lighting.
It was a definite first for Luke, and it raised more questions he wasn’t sure he could ask. He had checked her story out, and it was a fact a Sloane Friday had worked for the Toronto Police. However, what she’d done there, her track record, remained a mystery. He couldn’t find any commendations, reprimands, nothing that would make her stand out in any way. It almost seemed fake, although it wasn’t, not after making a few calls and talking to her former captain. The man had remained vague, but again, not that unusual in such a line of work.
They walked for a long while in companionable silence, as they explored the section, finding various objects including a discarded knife. It was a refreshing change to have someone by his side who could handle herself and didn’t have to be reassured every five minutes.
“Is that smoke?”
Her whisper was way closer than he’d anticipated. But his nose brought him to a more urgent matter at hand. “There’s an entry point at the next crossing. It could be coming from there.”
