by Doug Welch
Looking for any stragglers, Kitty noticed the one guard who hadn’t got up. Thinking to check him for injuries she moved toward him.
Before she had walked more than a few paces, the man jumped to his feet with the assault rifle still clutched in his hands.
Her world slowed down. She focused on the barrel of the rifle as the security guard raised it to train on her. She watched his finger tighten on the trigger. Her brain and hands had automatically responded to the threat, but it seemed to take forever to swing the Uzi around to defend herself. She knew she’d never bring her weapon to bear in time.
Bracing to take the inevitable impact of the bullets, she felt a blow on her shoulder. She briefly noted a black form in front of her, before falling to her side. Her head hit the hard rock, and she heard the reports of dozens of automatic weapons, all barking as one.
Dazed from the fall, she tried to move her legs but they were trapped by a heavy weight. She rose on one elbow and struggled to free herself from whatever pinned her. Looking down at her legs she saw a black-clad motionless form.
Still groggy, she reached down and rolled the body off her legs. She slowly rose to her knees and stared at the unconscious form.
The face was that of her partner, Rodger.
The sight cleared the fogginess. He’d taken most of the rounds in his chest armor, but blood pooled around his body.
“No!” she screamed, “No!” She frantically checked him all over, discovering his jeans were blood soaked. Someone pushed her aside and used a knife to cut away the jean fabric. Someone else tried to move her but she fought him, struggling to remain by Rodger’s side. Two of Dani’s brothers arrived carrying a stretcher and with help from the others placed Rodger’s body on it. Carrying him, they hurried off to the command truck.
Kitty sat on the hard ground, cradling her knees to her chest. She’d thought she’d be able to survive any pain but not this type of agony. It continued without letup deep inside her. Her mind flashed through memories of Rodger and her, memories of loving, teasing each other and occasionally bickering. Every good moment seemed to drive the pain deeper and every bad moment crushed her in guilt.
She sensed someone sit beside her and turned to look. It was Paris.
“Beth has him now,” he said. “If anyone can save him she can. He has a pulse. That’s a good sign.”
Kitty stared into the darkness unable to stop the hurting. “If he dies, Paris...” She swallowed a sob. “If he dies I won’t be able to cope with it.” The sobs erupted and her body shook with the violence of them.
Paris grabbed hold of her hand. “You have a family, Kitty, we’ll help you. But it’s too soon to write Rodger off. He’s strong and Beth is the best doctor I’ve ever met. We got a tourniquet on his leg before he bled out, and the Kevlar stopped the worst of it.”
With an overriding will, Kitty controlled herself. “What now?” she asked.
“As soon as he’s stable, Beth plans to take him back to the boat,” Paris replied. “We would rush him to a hospital here in Italy but there’d be too many questions and we don’t have the time to change that many minds. We’ve still got a job to do, Kitty. This isn’t over and it won’t be over until we’ve accomplished what we came here to do.”
The tightness in her throat threatened to choke her. She wanted to huddle up and let the tears flow but her sense of rightness wouldn’t let her. They’d started this as a family and so they would end it.
Chapter 33
Phase Two
After locking the security guards in a truck brought along for the purpose, Paris left Dani’s brothers to guard them. He set off with the remainder of team down the road leading toward Naples.
As they jogged single file, they used the brush to conceal their progress, frequently fading into the cover when cars passed.
At the front entrance to the biotech compound, the group paused. Using hand signals, Paris directed Ali’s men to proceed along the access road to the front entrance. Counting the remaining members of his team, he had one more than he’d expected.
It was Audrey.
Angry, he whispered in her ear, “You’re supposed to be with the support team. Get back to the truck.
Audrey shook her head and refused to budge. Whispering back, she said, “I’m going with you. I’m as good an Adept as Kitty and she’s not doing too well right now. You need me. I’ll know where they’re keeping my baby. I can lead you right to her.”
Phase one of the operations had taken almost two hours and dawn was only an hour and a half away. They needed the dark to cover their approach and exit if they planned to get away clean. He had no time to argue with her.
Checking her weapons, he noticed she carried a spare tranquilizer gun. It might come in handy. “How many darts does that thing hold?”
“Ten,” she whispered, “and I have two more magazines in my pack.”
Kitty also carried a tranquilizer gun in addition to her sidearm. The two of them might make the operation more bloodless. He’d had enough casualties on this mission. He’d consider himself a failure if his orders caused any more.
“Okay,” he whispered, “but you stay tight behind Kitty and in front of Caesar, got it?”
Audrey nodded.
“One more thing. As soon as we enter the compound, I want both of you to hide, become invisible.”
Kitty bristled. “I don’t need to switch, Paris. I can handle myself.”
“I don’t doubt that,” Paris said, “but it’ll be a tactical advantage if both of you can’t be seen. We may need every edge we can get.”
Proceeding another half mile along the road, Paris cut into the brush leading them up a hill to the place he’d used to survey the compound a few months ago. Pausing at the summit he looked down at the biotech facility. Although Tom had left the eastern sensors active to draw out the bulk of the security forces, the western array had been shut completely down. They crept down the hill to the edge of a large parking lot, containing some of the company’s trucks along with cars belonging to employees.
Using the trucks and cars to hide their progress, they moved into the shadow of a loading dock.
Paris used his communicator to contact the command vehicle. “Tom, have Ali start the diversion.” In a few seconds he heard the explosive cracks of automatic weapons fire coming from the front of the compound.
Climbing on top of the loading dock he assisted the others in joining him. In exchange for liberating his family, Doctor Cramer had delivered the interior layout and access codes for the digital door locks. Paris had memorized both of them.
Keying the code, he waited until the roll up door cleared enough and then rolled under the door.
Jumping up with his Uzis at the ready he saw a few workers. The room looked like a shipment room and when the employees saw him they froze. Seeing the other members of his team join him, some of the workers panicked and ran.
Not stopping, he trotted to the door opposite the roll up door and opened it. The constant clatter of glass bottles running at high speed through automated filling machines indicated he’d reached the packaging room. He felt more confident now that Cramer’s layout had been accurate, and he led them to the furthest corner of the room.
Caesar stopped him and wordlessly pointed to some surveillance cameras in the corners near the ceiling.
Paris shook his head. “Tom controls the compound and he disabled them,” he whispered. “We should be able to move without being spotted.”
Pausing to key in yet another access code, they entered a passageway. Turning right, they hurried down the corridor past closed doors that, according to the layout, lead to various labs and offices.
In about fifty meters they came to an intersection with another hallway but this one was wider. This time, Paris took a left turn.
Moving along the walkway they passed wide windows looking out at laboratories and preparation rooms where visitors could watch people at work. He counted the doors as he moved and almost at
the end of the corridor stopped in front of a plain, unobtrusive closed door.
The door was locked by a plain looking digital lock but Paris knew it was deceptive. Cramer had warned him that entering the code for the lock had to be done in a precise manner, waiting for a small light to blink twice before entering the next digit. If he didn’t the mistake would set off an alarm, bringing a guard to investigate.
He nodded to Kitty. She brought the tranquilizer gun up and aimed it at the door. Paris deliberately keyed in the code incorrectly and waited by the side of the door.
The seconds seemed to drag. About to try again, Paris froze when the door opened. The guard opened his mouth to say something but his eyes grew wide and he reached for his side arm.
Kitty shot him with the tranquilizer gun but the dart stuck in the guard’s chest protector. A fraction of a second later another dart whizzed and caught him in the neck. Paris turned around and saw Audrey lowering her gun. Smoke issued from the barrel.
She grinned. “Guess you needed me, huh?”
Caesar clamped his hand on the security guard’s gun preventing him from taking it out of the holster. The guard briefly struggled in Caesar’s rock solid grip and then his eyes lost focus and he slumped to the floor.
Caesar dragged the limp body past the door and shut it.
They’d entered the secret part of the facility. Somewhere in these corridors and the rooms leading off them was Audrey’s daughter. But the inner passageways also held danger, Shadow Adepts and quite possibly among them, Gerardo Borgia. Paris had no desire to meet him. He knew he wasn’t a match for the powerful Adept.
The corridor ran short distances and then abruptly turned right or left. With the exception of their footsteps the place was utterly silent. They occasionally passed closed doors, anyone of which could contain what they sought. Turning yet again, they came upon an anomaly, an open door with light streaming from the interior.
Approaching with caution, Paris motioned to Caesar. As Caesar joined him, he moved to the other side of the door. Catching Caesar’s stare he nodded, holding out two fingers. Paris counted out the timing and at two, they burst into the room covering the area ahead of them, then right and left.
The fluorescent lighting revealed a bed, a table with instruments and bottles on it, and a chair. On the bed lay an unmoving body. The body’s wrists were handcuffed to the bed.
Lowering his Uzi, Paris moved to the bed to check its occupant. The face was almost unrecognizable but nevertheless he could discern the unconscious form of his twin, Brian.
“Shit,” Caesar said. “They beat the hell out of him.”
Paris knew he was responsible for this. If he hadn’t let Brian go he’d have been safe confined to the villa’s room. Guilt caused a lump to form in his throat, but anger at what the Borgias had done to Brian forced it back down.
“We’ve got to get him out of here,” Paris said.
“How?” Caesar asked. “I can’t shoot and carry him too.”
Paris rattled the handcuffs. Removing them from the bed frame would require disassembling it and they hadn’t brought tools.
“Go back to where we left the security guard. Maybe he has the keys for the cuffs.”
Caesar bolted from the room. Paris checked the table looking for anything that would help him to revive his twin.
Audrey walked into the room. “Kitty’s guarding the entrance. Where’s Caesar going?” Seeing Brian laying on the bed, she gasped. “What happened to him?”
Paris shoved a bottle of disinfectant and some cotton balls into her hands. “Clean off the blood so we can assess the damage.”
Audrey just stood there staring at Brian and refusing to move.
Searching further, Paris spotted a bottle of ammonia. Shoving Audrey aside, he saturated a cotton ball with the fluid and passed it under Brian’s nose.
Brian’s head jerked to escape the foul odor and his eyelids opened as far as they could. His eyes darted wildly around and he struggled to rise.
Paris pushed him back onto the bed. “It’s me, Brian, Paris. We’re going to take you out of here.”
It took a few seconds for Brian to focus. “Paris? What’s happening? Where is the security guard?”
“He won’t be back,” Paris replied. “We’ve taken him out.”
Brian laid his head back on the pillow. “I hope you killed the bastard. If you haven’t, I will.”
Caesar burst into the room and thrust a key ring into Paris’ hands. “I hope they fit,” he said. “Otherwise we’ll have to drag the bed too.”
Paris slipped the key into the lock and heard a satisfying click. Unfastening the cuffs, he helped Brian sit on the side of the bed.
Holding him by the shoulder, Paris asked, “Can you walk?”
“I’m a little dizzy,” Brian replied. But I’ll make it.”
Paris slipped his side arm from its holster. “Take this. If anyone but us comes through that door, use it. We’ll pick you up on the way back.” He tossed a pair of magazines on the bed. “Here are some spares. Try to not run out of ammunition.”
“What was in that memory chip, Paris?” Brian asked. “They went crazy after I used it.” He waved around the room. “It was the cause of all of this.”
“That chip was a stake through the Borgia’s heart,” Paris said. “You’re a brave man, Brian. I would expect no less from a man I’m proud to call my brother.”
Paris looked at his watch. They’d taken a half hour to get to this point and if they hoped to accomplish this in darkness they needed to move.
Motioning to the rest of the team, he indicated they should leave.
Exiting the room they proceeded along the passageway, briefly pausing to listen at the doors.
Turning yet again, Paris saw a long straight corridor that lead to a tee at the end. The tee branched right and left. He paused and assessed the situation. If the end of it was covered by guards, they’d be exposed to fire the whole length.
Stretching his mind he risked exposure, but it couldn’t be helped. He needed to know if they were walking into an ambush.
Not sensing anyone in the vicinity, he attempted to shut it down, but not before his awareness sensed a powerful response. Fighting it, he gritted his teeth and broke contact.
Gasping for breath, he said, “There’s a powerful Adept to the right at the end of the hallway. I don’t think we should go that way.”
“I felt it,” Kitty said. “Like a million fingers clawing at my mind, do you suppose it’s Gerardo?”
“I hope so,” Paris replied. “If the Borgias have more than one Adept that capable, we’re sunk.”
He’d counted on using the combined minds of Kitty and he to hold off any Shadow Adept attack but a mind that powerful could overwhelm both of them. They needed to get to the end of the corridor and away from the Adept’s control but the only way through was forward.
“Okay when I give the word, we run,” Paris said. “We don’t stop and we take the left passage.” He glanced at each of them seeing nothing but grim looks. “Ready?” They each nodded. “Run!”
Paris sped down the corridor hearing the pounding of boots behind him. Reaching the end he didn’t pause, he turned left and continued running until he’d passed several doors.
Stopping to take a breather he leaned against the wall drawing deep breaths. As soon as his breathing slowed he looked at Audrey. “Have you picked up any sense of where your baby might be held?” Cramer’s information had been vague on the subject, only saying that the child was moved from time to time in the part of compound in which they were currently searching. Paris always knew the search wouldn’t be easy but he hadn’t counted upon the presence of a master Shadow Adept. Since the assault was scheduled for the early morning, he figured the Borgia Adepts would be absent, tucked in their beds and fast asleep.
He watched Audrey concentrate, knowing her actions could result in a mental assault from the Borgia down the corridor. Her face blanched and she staggered. Reac
hing out to her with his mind he helped her fight it off. Kitty joined in and together they managed to wrench control away from the Adept.
Audrey slumped and slid along the wall finally sitting on the floor. It took her a few precious minutes to recover. Waving her hand toward the left hallway she said, “She’s there in the same place the Adept is. I felt her. She’s scared and crying.” Audrey struggled to her feet. “I’m going to go get her.”
Paris pushed her back down. “Not yet, we need a plan.” Focusing on Kitty he asked, “Do you think we can hold the Borgia off long enough for Caesar to take a shot?”
Kitty looked worried. “I don’t know. He’s pretty powerful. This is new to me, Paris I haven’t any experience to go by.” She drew herself up. “But I think we should try. If we can hold his attention long enough he’ll have to let go of Caesar and then it’s party over. I’m willing if you are.”
Turning to Caesar, Paris said, “As soon as his attention is focused fully on us you’ll have to take him down. You may have only a few seconds.”
Caesar nodded. “If I can do as much as twitch a finger he’s history.”
Paris helped Audrey off the floor. “You go for your baby while we keep him busy. Snatch her and run. Don’t look back. Go back to where we left Brian and wait for us. He looked at his watch. If we’re not back in ten minutes, turn invisible and try to get back to the command truck.”
Bring his Uzi to the ready, he said, “Let’s go.”
Paris led them at a walk past the tee junction. It didn’t take long to find the door they sought. The unmistakable cries of a baby could be heard within.
Paris was puzzled that the Borgia hadn’t already reacted. He’d expected an attack before now. The door didn’t have a lock. Becoming invisible to the Shadows in the room, he simply opened it and walked in.
Not more than two steps into the room he fell to his knees as a wave of mind force tried to rip his brain apart.
Chapter 34
The Borgias
The mental onslaught was staggering. He’d expected the pressure that the Borgia exerted, but the rage of lust that accompanied it occupied his senses and distracted him. His mind seethed, consumed with sex nearly to the point of orgasm.
