Renshu sat on the floor and slit open his pants at the wound site.
"Flesh wound . . . hurts like shit," he said, while removing an emergency bandage from a pouch on his web gear.
"May have nicked an artery. As the Americans would say, I'm bleeding like a stuck pig," Renshu said, while tightening the Israeli-designed bandage.
"Renshu, cover the hall until the others return," Jian said, as he struck the wall-mounted pad that opened the door to Room 501.
"First Lieutenant Gong," Jian said, as he nodded in deference, stepped over to the bed, and inspected the cuffs restraining Aiguo.
"Sergeant Wang, it has been years. I didn't know you were in country," Aiguo said, smiling for the first time in weeks.
"I also was part of General Kung's program, but that story will wait. We need to get you out of here," Jian said.
"The Hēirén (black) has the keys. They hang from his belt," Aiguo said.
Jian nodded, retrieved the keys, and began unlocking the cuffs.
"We have an ambulance at a loading dock. This gurney is smaller and easier to maneuver. Here, I brought you a pistol. After this mess we may have to shoot our way out of here," Jian said, while rolling the gurney over parallel to the bed.
"You'll have to help me, Sergeant. I haven't been out of this bed in weeks," Aiguo said, while trying to drag himself onto the gurney.
The door to Room 501 opened. Renshu limped in and asked, "What do we do with Weimin?"
"Leave him. Take his weapons. We're six minutes behind schedule. If one of the police called for backup, we may not make it out of here," Jian said, while pulling Aiguo onto the gurney.
"Hold the door, we're leaving," Jian said, while pulling a blanket from the hospital bed and draping it over Aiguo.
"The floor is clear. We jammed the other stairwell doors," Bingwen said, as he and Chonglin ran into the hallway outside Room 501.
"Good, back to the ambulance. Silence anyone that we meet," Jian said, as he began pushing Aiguo to the pair of elevators.
When the elevator door on the right opened, Walter's eyes widened as he was greeted with three rifles and two pistols pointed at his head. One shot was fired. Blood and brain matter splattered across the back of the elevator.
"Idiot! He was one of ours!" Jian yelled, as Walter's body dropped across the entrance to the elevator.
"You said silence anyone that we met," Chonglin replied.
The doors closed. Then opened again as they contacted Walter's body.
"Pull him out of the way. He was a loose end anyway," Jian said.
"This is cleaner. They'll think that he was just another victim," Jian thought, as Walter was dumped in the hallway beside the first two officers who were killed.
. . . .
The Ambulance
0330 hours EST
Heng sat in the driver's seat of the ambulance drumming his fingers against the steering wheel.
"Eight minutes late . . . almost nine . . . something went wrong," he said, while lowering the window on the driver's side.
The fog was still thick. He glanced at his watch for the fourth time in the last two minutes and listened.
"No sirens . . . at least there aren't any sirens . . . yet," he said, then jumped as the rear doors to the ambulance were yanked open.
He started the engine while glancing in the rear view mirror, and saw the gurney rolled into the back and locked in place. Counting heads, he saw that they were one short.
"What happened? Who's missing?" Heng asked, as Jian leapt into the passenger seat beside him.
"Shut up and drive. Slowly, back out the way we came. Then turn right on North Howard. One missed shot and things got messy. We lost Weimin," Jian said, as the ambulance pulled away from the loading dock.
CHAPTER 4
Inova Alexandria Hospital
Loading Dock
4300 Seminary Road
Alexandria, Virginia, USA
April 20, 2017
0335 hours EST
Heng pulled out slowly, turned left past the parking deck, and followed the road out to the hospital exit.
"Jian, what happened?" Heng asked, as he turned right onto North Howard Street.
"Renshu and Chonglin were leading the team down the hall, as planned. Renshu made his shot, and took down the first guard. Chonglin missed, and it cost Weimin his life. The same guard wounded Renshu before we killed him. Now, be quiet and head for the storage unit," Jian said.
"Jian, Renshu is still bleeding," Chonglin said, while changing the bandage on Renshu's leg.
"Do the best you can. We have more equipment at the storage unit," Jian said.
Weimin was the team's trained medic, and he was dead.
"Turn left on the second major street. You won't be able to see the sign in this fog," Jian said, while pulling his phone out of a pocket and turning on Google Maps.
"Shénshèng de gǒu shǐ (holy shit), I can't even see the side of the road," Heng said, while focusing on the double yellow line just visible in his left head light.
Aiguo laid back on the gurney in silence. The pain meds were wearing off and his leg was beginning to throb.
"The pain is nothing. A comrade was lost in rescuing me. I have become soft. They have a plan. Let them finish it," Aiguo told himself, as he began breathing deeply, and placed his mind elsewhere.
"Slow down, Heng, there should be a traffic light up here. Turn left onto North Jordan," Jian said.
"I see the glow. It's red," Heng said, while slowing to a stop.
"Put on your turn signal. Now go, it's green. Be careful, we don't know who's watching in the fog," Jian said, while lowering his window.
"I hear multiple sirens. Keep going. When you get to Duke Street, turn right," Jian said, as the ambulance crept through the intersection in the dense fog.
Each street light was a pocket of illumination as they crept past an endless series of apartment buildings.
"I see a street light . . . a big intersection. The light's green. Do I turn here?" Heng asked, while flexing his hands.
His grip on the steering wheel was so tight that they were beginning to cramp.
"No, keep going. I'll tell you where to turn," Jian said, while staring at the map on his phone.
Jian glanced up. The sides of the street were lined with trees. The naked branches appeared in the fog like hands reaching for them as they drove past. He shook the disturbing image from his mind as the ambulance halted at another stop light. He could see multiple stop lights a short distance ahead.
"The second set of lights is Duke Street. Turn right, there," Jian said, as he wiped his sweaty palms on his pant legs. The adrenalin from the rescue had worn off. He felt tired and shaky. He knew the others would be experiencing similar effects.
They turned right on Duke Street. Heng drove in the center lane. The white ambulance was almost invisible as they drove down the wide avenue.
"The street lights remind me of runway lights at an airport," Heng said, while they continued down the wide street.
He and Jian stared as they passed a runner coming in the other direction. It was a woman, and a strange sight. Multi-colored lights flashed up and down her torso as she ran on the sidewalk beside them.
Behind her, a huge brick building was barely visible in the fog. At first, Jian thought it was a church because of the design. It was a series of connected buildings. In the center was a wall with a huge clock face. It was brightly lit from spotlights below. Jian noticed the time as they slowly drove past.
"It's almost 0400. We're running out of time. We have to get under cover," Jian thought, as a premonition of impending doom struck him.
He had heard occasional sirens as they drove. Now he could hear more . . . many more, and they were coming nearer.
On the other side of the median, six police cars appeared in the fog, blue lights flashing and sirens wailing.
"Jian!" Heng exclaimed, as the police cruisers roared past on the other side of the street.
/> "Relax, they aren't after us. They're headed to the hospital. Keep going. Stick to the plan. No more mistakes," Jian said, as Chonglin's head appeared between them.
"Renshu is unconscious. He's lost too much blood. How soon do we get there? He needs a transfusion," Chonglin said.
"Set up an IV. The equipment's in here," Jian said.
"I've seen it done, but I've never done it," Chonglin said.
"It's easy. Just find the large vein at the bend in the elbow and insert the needle. Use a large needle, size 18. The fluid will go in faster. Have faith, comrade. Renshu is depending on you," Jian said, while glancing at his phone.
"Jian, we are coming to another intersection. Do I keep going?" Heng asked.
"Yes, this is Cameron Station Boulevard. We take the next left onto Pickett," Jian replied.
"I wish this damn fog would lift," Heng said.
"No, comrade! This fog is saving our lives. We are hidden from the enemy. We have poked a hornet's nest, but they are slow reacting because of the fog. We have to be under cover before they set up road blocks," Jian said.
They grew quiet as the ambulance glided through the fog. As they approached South Pickett, Jian could see another set of police cars approaching in the distance.
"Quickly, turn left. We must get through the intersection before they see us. Someone may have seen an ambulance leaving the hospital," Jian said, while gesturing for Heng to speed up.
As they turned left onto Pickett and drove down the street, Jian glanced back and saw a line of police cars stream through the intersection. None of them turned in their direction.
"Ah yes, the hornets are buzzing, but they can't see us," Jian said to himself, as his focus returned to the map on his phone.
"Heng, the road will slowly curve to the right, then back to the left. We will turn right onto a small road that heads up to the storage units," Jian said.
"I have the IV in. The solution seems to be dripping into his veins," Chonglin yelled from the back.
"Good work. We'll be at the storage unit in a few minutes," Jian said, while looking for the entrance on his right.
CHAPTER 5
Public Storage Unit 62
401 South Pickett Street
Alexandria, Virginia, USA
April 20, 2017
0410 hours EST
"Here's the access card. The code is 1949," Jian said, while handing the card to Heng.
Heng lowered his window, inserted the card, and followed the prompts.
As the gate opened, Jian took the card from Heng and said, "Straight to the end, then turn left. It's the fourth double unit on the right. . . . number 62."
"I'll get out and open the unit," Jian said, as they pulled up to Unit 62.
Jian opened the padlock and raised the insulated roller door. He flicked on the overhead lights and lowered the door, as the ambulance drove in and parked. The double unit had two roller doors. The dividing wall had been removed. On the other side of the bay was a U-Haul moving van.
"Everyone out! Move Lieutenant Gong over to the moving van. Chonglin, bring Renshu back here," Jian said, while walking to the back of the unit.
"After the Lieutenant is moved, change out the Israeli bandage on Renshu. Administer painkillers and morphine. Then get him on the moving van," Jian ordered, while changing out of his hospital garb, and into jeans and a plaid shirt.
"Heng, wipe down the ambulance. No finger prints, no blood. Then spray the inside and outside with the liquid oxygen bleach," Jian said, while slipping on an insulated vest and a University of Virginia ball cap.
"The sun will be up in less than two hours. I want us on the road in 20 minutes. The fog will aid in our escape," Jian said, as he began filling the portable sprayer with the bleach.
With two patients settled in the moving van, the team began discarding their military clothing and storing it in containers. Everything was moved into the U-Haul.
"The ambulance is clean," Heng said, while discarding his paper coveralls, gloves and mask.
"Check the area. We leave nothing behind except the ambulance," Jian said, as he inspected Chonglin and Bingwen.
Fifteen minutes after they had arrived, everyone was on board the moving van except Jian. He walked through the storage unit one last time.
"They will find this place eventually. There must not be anything that will tell them where we have gone," Jian told himself, as he inspected the unit one last time.
"There's nothing left behind. The ambulance has been sterilized. It's time to go," Jian said, while glancing down at his watch.
"0424 . . . "Jian thought, as he raised the roller door, and watched Heng slowly back the moving van out of Unit 62.
Jian turned off the lights and activated the roller door to close, while stepping outside the unit. As he walked past the side of the moving van, he glanced up at the painting on the side. It showed a soldier in an experimental submarine from the American Civil War,
"A shame that we have to be enemies. They are a very brave and creative people," Jian thought, as he climbed into the passenger seat beside Heng.
"Heng, turn right when you get to the bottom of the hill. Keep going until you reach South Van Dorn. Then take a left," Jian said, as he opened the glove compartment and removed a 9mm Glock with the silencer attached.
"Expecting trouble, Comrade?" Heng asked, as he glanced at the handgun.
"American Boy Scouts have a saying, 'Always be prepared,' " Jian said, as he removed the clip and thumped it against his palm to seat the rounds.
Heng chuckled as he stopped at the bottom of the path, glanced left, and then turned right onto South Pickett Street.
"Now we head for South Carolina, my friend," Jian said, while removing his phone from a satchel, opening up Google Maps, and keying in a destination.
CHAPTER 6
5th Floor
Inova Alexandria Hospital
4300 Seminary Road
Alexandria, Virginia, USA
April 20, 2017
0915 hours EST
CIA Agent Amanda Langford exited the stairwell onto the 5th floor of Inova Alexandria Hospital and paused. Three bodies were sprawled in front of the elevator ten feet to her right. Police photographers and forensic specialists were gathering evidence and placing markers by everything of interest. Blood splattered the walls. Pools of blood encircled each victim. As she displayed her ID, and stepped around each bit of evidence, a huge African-American man approached her in the hallway.
"Why am I not surprised that you beat the FBI to the scene?" Detective First Class Angelo Morehead said, as he placed a stick of Nicorette into his mouth and began to chew. The wrapper was carefully tucked into a suit pocket.
"So what happened?" Amanda asked, while glancing around at the carnage.
"Based on the overlay, it happened in two phases. The assault team exited the elevator and dispatched two officers with two shots. The shell casings are in the elevator. That's why you had to walk up the stairs. The last victim had the misfortune of coming up the elevator as the assault team was exiting the floor. They shot him in the elevator, dragged him out and dumped him here. As I said, he was their last victim," Angelo said, while pointing at the male nurse lying face down across the body of one of the police officers.
"After killing the first two officers they exited the elevator, turned left, and fired on the two officers standing outside Room 501," Angelo said.
"That's where the Chinese . . . " Amanda began.
"Agent Langford, they murdered my little brother to get that bastard out of here," Angelo said, while staring down at the diminutive agent.
"I'm sorry. How did they . . ." Amanda began, as Angelo turned and began walking up the hallway.
"They opened fire on the two officers standing outside the room. Officer Barlow was instantly killed with a shot to the head. Officer Morehead . . . was hit five times. He was shot in the legs twice. He managed to fire his weapon four times before his right arm was shattered by two rounds.
He was then shot between the eyes at close range. His brains are still scatted on the floor and wall where he was propped up, waiting to die. I have to go tell his wife what happened. Then I have to contact our mother in San Francisco why her baby boy had to die today. I'm the one who got him a job in the Alexandria PD. She was never happy about that," Angelo said, while staring down at his brother's corpse.
"The man in the military uniform?" Amanda asked, her eyes welling up as she felt the pain in Angelo's voice.
"Another Chinese agent. I had them slice open the sleeves at both shoulders. Same tattoo on the right shoulder . . . four Chinese characters. Below them was the head of a tiger. Below that was a dagger with lightning bolts over the blade," Angelo said, as he turned and stared at Amanda.
"You owed me before, Agent Langford. Now you owe me big. This is personal, and I don't want to hear any of your 'I'm not authorized' bullshit. Either you tell me what's going on, or you'll be seeing everything I know in the Washington Post tomorrow morning," Angelo said, while sticking his finger in Amanda's face.
"Let's go out in the stairwell," Amanda said, as she turned and began walking back down the hallway.
She glanced over her shoulder. Angelo glowered at her, and then began to follow.
Angelo closed the door, changed out the Nicorette gum, and waited as the two stood in the stairwell.
"You're right, I do owe you. So does the country, more than you can possibly imagine," Amanda said, then stopped, as Angelo turned and reached for the door to exit the stairwell.
"The Chinese have been smuggling nuclear weapons into the US for decades," Amanda said, and knew that she had just placed a noose around her own neck.
Angelo turned and stared at her. His right thumb and forefinger began stroking his thick moustache.
"Jesus . . . that actually makes sense. Our boy gets sloppy and winds up in a hospital after delivering whatever it was that was found down at the Torpedo Factory. Yeah, you Feds leave finger prints everywhere you go. You're not nearly as slick as you think you are," Angelo said, as Amanda's eyes widened.
HARRIS (Detonation) Page 2
