Ryan Quinn and the Lion's Claw

by Ron McGee

  “Do you have Lawrence?” Ryan glanced at the brownstone as a second officer came out the front door.

  “No. I went to your house after your parents called. But it looked like somebody got there before me. He was gone.”

  Ryan was angry at himself. “I should’ve never left him alone.”

  “Then you’d be missing, too. Or worse.” Tasha’s tone softened. “I’m doing everything I can to find him.”

  “That’s why I called earlier. There’s this woman, she really hates them—and she’s super-rich. Danny and I think she may be the one who’s after Lawrence and Nadia.”

  “She’s here in New York?”

  “I don’t know, but—”

  “Then how is that going to help me find them?” Tasha spat. “We’re wasting time.”

  Ryan barely stopped himself from snapping back at her. “I’m not sure if she’s in New York, but her private jet is. Or it’s close anyway—the flight plan they logged says it arrived at Fairfax Executive Airport two days ago. That’s just across the river, in Englewood. And they’re scheduled to leave later today.”

  Tasha was quiet a moment, considering. “Okay, I’ll check it out.”

  “Danny and I can meet you there.”

  “You’ll only slow me down. I can’t do my job and look out for two kids at the same time.”

  “I did fine before.”

  “I’ll text you if I find anything.” The call disconnected. Ryan was sick of being dismissed by the adults in his life.

  Danny hurried back across the street, eager to share what he’d learned. “Your neighbor called the cops. She was picking up her newspaper and saw the front door standing open. The lock was shattered, like someone broke in.”

  “Tasha said she came to get Lawrence, but they’d already been here.”

  Danny looked back at the two uniformed cops. “They’re trying to get in touch with your parents now. What should we do?”

  Ryan considered his options, then suddenly stepped off the curb and into the street. “Taxi!”

  A passing yellow cab pulled over, screeching to a stop. Ryan opened the back door and turned to Danny. “I’m going to Fairfax Executive Airport.”

  “Not by yourself, you’re not!” Danny scurried past Ryan into the backseat. Ryan followed him in and slammed the door.

  No more sitting on the sidelines.

  It was time to get in the game.

  CHAPTER

  10

  NEW JERSEY,

  USA

  The kid was turning into a problem.

  Tasha kept her eyes on the road, but her thoughts were focused on Ryan Quinn. He and his computer-geek friend were stubborn and independent. But they were also naive. They reminded her a little of herself at that age.

  Though she definitely wasn’t naive anymore.

  Tasha glanced in the backseat of her BMW. Lawrence Cain was still unconscious, hands bound and mouth gagged.

  This kind of thing wasn’t part of her agreement with Braxton Crisp. She was furious that he’d forced her to do it. Like she was some common thug. But it wasn’t smart to cross Crisp. He might not look intimidating in his tweed jacket and ridiculous bow ties, but Crisp was vicious. She’d once seen him shove a man off a rooftop to his death without giving it a second thought.

  How the hell did she end up doing his dirty work?

  It was her own fault.

  She should have told him no when he first approached her. But Tasha was still grieving the death of her father. Her dad had been Tasha’s whole world. He’d raised her single-handedly since her mother left them both when she was eleven. Isaac Levi had been a soldier most of his life and brought his daughter up to be tough and resourceful—just like him.

  When Tasha learned of Isaac’s secret work with the Emergency Rescue Committee, she begged him to let her help. To her surprise, he readily agreed. Isaac trained her to be an operative, and by the time she was sixteen, Tasha was going on missions around the world. She loved every minute of it.

  Until the day Isaac didn’t come home.

  When John Quinn showed up at her door, she knew instantly that her father was dead. John explained that he and Isaac had been in Iran, attempting to help a scientist and his family get out of the country. Things went wrong, and Isaac tried to buy them time to escape. Quinn got the family to safety, but Isaac didn’t make it out. He died a hero.

  Tasha was crushed. She didn’t want a hero. She wanted her father back.

  For over a year after her father’s death, Tasha channeled her anger and pain into her work for the ERC. She’d help anyone anywhere who needed her.

  But four months ago, Braxton Crisp changed all that. He told her he had proof that John Quinn lied. Her father had been abandoned and left to die by the ERC. The truth was that John Quinn had betrayed Isaac, valuing his own safety over her father’s life.

  Of course, she didn’t believe him at first. But Crisp played a recording of Quinn on his cell phone. She heard her father’s closest friend say that Isaac had been wounded. Quinn insisted it was too risky to go back. Isaac’s injuries were severe enough that he probably wouldn’t survive anyway.

  Tasha was in shock. The first rule of the ERC is that you never leave a man behind. The work was too dangerous—they had to be able to trust each other with their lives. Crisp was right: John Quinn had abandoned her father. He left Isaac to die, all alone.

  Crisp told her he had a way for her to get vengeance for her father’s death. A scheme that would expose John Quinn and destroy the ERC forever.

  And would also make them both very rich in the process.

  They strategized for weeks and were finally able to put their plan into action in Andakar. When Quinn had been shot helping Lan escape, it provided Tasha the perfect opportunity. Taking advantage of his weakened state, she had no trouble surprising Quinn and knocking him out. She delivered him to Crisp, who gave John a powerful truth serum. Quinn couldn’t help himself—he told Crisp about every ERC rescue he remembered, divulging the confidential new identities and locations of over thirty people.

  After Crisp got all the information he needed from John Quinn, Tasha flew him back home. By design, Quinn had no memory of the entire three days. He went back to his normal life with no clue that he had just given up the entire ERC organization.

  In the backseat, Lawrence moaned.

  Crisp sold the location of Lawrence and Nadia for almost two million dollars. Tasha’s cut had been more money than she’d possessed in her whole life. But the windfall came at a cost. Crisp now acted like she worked for him, ordering her to do things she’d never agreed to.

  Tasha saw the sign for the rest area where she was supposed to drop off Lawrence. She pulled around back, determined to get rid of him as fast as possible.

  Tasha had maintained her cover for months and didn’t plan on blowing it now. She hoped Ryan and his friends didn’t get too nosy. Tasha really didn’t want to hurt them.

  But if necessary, she would.

  CHAPTER

  11

  NEW JERSEY,

  USA

  We’re here.” Ryan glanced at Danny as the taxi pulled into the parking lot of the Fairfax Executive Airport. Danny’s thumbs flew over the keys of his phone. “What’re you doing?”

  “Hacking the tracking software on my phone.” He looked up as the taxi came to a stop. “Done. Now, if my mom checks on us, it’ll look like we’re at Chelsea Piers.”

  “You know, you’d make an awesome evil genius,” Ryan said.

  “True. But I prefer to use my powers for good.”

  Ryan paid the cabdriver and they got out. The tiny but exclusive airfield was in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a chain-link fence. A single building housed the terminal and a flight tower. The runway was flanked by several rows of long, white hangars that sheltered private aircraft.

  “That’s it,” Danny said, pointing.

  A large plane stood at the end of the runway. Ryan had flown on countless trips gro
wing up, so he instantly recognized it as an older 727. It had probably once been a commercial passenger plane, but was now converted into a luxurious VIP jet. The tail fin displayed the stylized head of a lion, the logo of Sekhmet Technologies.

  “We need to get closer.” Ryan kept himself hidden behind parked cars as he maneuvered along the fence. There wasn’t much security at this airfield, which might be why Madame Buku used it.

  Danny crept along behind Ryan. “What do we do if Lawrence and Nadia are really in there?”

  “Tasha should be here somewhere. Maybe she’s got a plan.”

  Using a van for cover, Ryan peered out at Madame Buku’s jet. Members of the crew swarmed around, preparing for takeoff. Two sets of stairs were open, one close to the front for passengers and another at the rear where food and supplies were being loaded.

  “I don’t see them.” Ryan studied the fence. It was about eight feet high, but didn’t have any barbed wire on top. “Stay here.”

  Ryan moved to the front of the parked van. He checked to make sure no one was watching, then jumped onto the hood.

  “What are you doing?” Danny said.

  “Getting a better view.” Ryan hopped to the van’s roof. He sprinted toward the fence, then leaped. Ryan’s hands hit the top of the fence, and he catapulted over. He sailed through the air and landed hard on the asphalt below, cushioning the impact by dropping into a roll.

  Ryan got back to his feet and scurried behind a parked twin-engine Beechcraft for cover. He glanced back through the chain link at his friend. Danny gave him a thumbs-up.

  About thirty yards to his right, Ryan spotted an orange fuel tank truck. Keeping low, he ran toward it. He leaned against the tanker and peered around the rear. The captain and copilot were now climbing the front stairs to board the jet, but there was no sign of Lawrence or Nadia.

  Maybe he and Danny were wrong. Maybe this woman wasn’t responsible for taking them after all.

  Ryan was trying to figure out what to do next when his phone buzzed. It was a text from Danny: stay low. black SUVs incoming.

  Suddenly, a door slammed and the engine of the fuel truck roared to life! Ryan was on the passenger side and hadn’t even seen the driver get in. The truck was moving and would leave Ryan exposed.

  A metal ladder that provided access to the top of the tank was attached to the truck. Ryan grabbed the ladder, praying the driver didn’t check his side mirror. As the truck drove toward the jet, he climbed up and pressed himself flat along the top.

  The tank truck pulled to the far side of the jet and stopped once more. Ryan slid to the edge so the driver couldn’t see him as he got out. The tanker rumbled as the equipment powered up.

  Ryan watched as two black SUVs arrived and jerked to a stop in front of the passenger stairway. The doors of both SUVs opened and five rough-looking guys stepped out. A muscular man with a military cut and a nasty scar down the side of his face seemed to be in charge. Ryan couldn’t hear over the noise of the tank truck, but the man was barking orders to the others.

  The back door of the second SUV opened. Ryan had to risk inching forward so he could see. A young black woman stepped out looking scared but defiant. She appeared very different from the video, but Ryan instantly recognized her: It was Nadia. Struggling in the grip of her captor, she looked over as one of the men dragged Lawrence out.

  Lawrence could barely stand. He looked like he’d been drugged, his head drooping to one side. Nadia snapped at the men, saying something Ryan couldn’t hear. She was definitely a fighter. The scarred leader grabbed her arm and shoved her toward the stairway while another man half carried Lawrence behind them.

  Ryan grabbed his phone, frantic. He had to stop them. Where was Tasha, and why wasn’t she doing something?

  He texted her: are you at airport? is there a plan?

  Ryan slid off the tanker and dropped to the ground. He hoped Tasha had something in mind, because he had no idea how to stop these guys from leaving.

  His phone buzzed. Ryan read Tasha’s text in confusion.

  already went to airport. they weren’t there. sorry.

  That didn’t make any sense. If she’d been here, she must have seen the jet. It was the biggest plane on the runway.

  Which meant she didn’t really come to the airport.

  Tasha was lying.

  CHAPTER

  12

  NEW JERSEY,

  USA

  Having a friend like Ryan Quinn was incredible. But when your best friend can jump over eight-foot-high fences or knock out grown-ups with a well-placed martial arts kick,

  it was sometimes hard not to feel a little second-rate. Sure, Danny was great with technology, but he didn’t think that was anywhere near as cool as what Ryan could do.

  Not that he was complaining. Since Ryan arrived a few months ago, Danny’s whole life was better. He could hang out with Ryan for hours, just talking and listening to music. Ryan even liked Danny’s crazy family. Plus, he knew Ryan always had his back.

  Danny just wished that sometimes he felt more like the hero and less like the sidekick.

  Standing outside the fence of the private airfield, he knew immediately that the two SUVs that went inside were bad news. If Ryan got into trouble, there was nothing Danny could do from out here.

  Danny couldn’t leap over that fence like Ryan did. But maybe there was another way in. He jogged to the front door of the small terminal building and went inside. There wasn’t much to it, just one large room. Upscale, with lots of wood and glass. A few people sat scattered in lounge chairs waiting for flights. At the far end was a counter where an attendant was helping customers. Sliding doors led to the tarmac and runway, but the lone security guard looked bored. He paid more attention to his book than to the handful of travelers milling about.

  Danny’s spiky hair and unconventional clothes always stood out in a crowd. He did it on purpose, having lived most of his life feeling almost invisible. But right now, being invisible was exactly what he wanted.

  Danny ducked into the men’s bathroom and went to the sink. Quickly, he ran his hands under running water and wet his hair. He smoothed it down as much as possible, pressing it tight against his head. Not perfect, but better. He took off his bomber jacket, leaving only the hoodie and T-shirt he wore underneath. Just a normal teenager.

  And who’s more invisible to adults than a normal teenager?

  Danny exited the men’s room and headed for the runway doors. A group of four passengers was just gathering their things and heading out. They carried duffels and a long bag that looked like it held skis. Danny filed in right behind them, head bent over his phone as if he was texting and couldn’t be bothered to look up.

  “Let me get those for you, sir.” A porter in a red jacket took the ski bag from the man in front of Danny. “The Learjet is just over here to the left, everyone.”

  Danny’s heart was beating fast. The security guard glanced up as they all went out the door. Danny kept his head bowed, not daring to look up until he was safely out on the tarmac.

  His group headed toward a sleek jet as Danny veered toward the much bigger 727. No one even noticed. Other red-jacketed porters unloaded bags from the SUVs and put them on the kind of rolling carts that bellboys use. This place was more like a fancy hotel than an airport.

  As a cart rolled past, Danny fell into step beside it, using the luggage as a shield. He glanced up at the stairway that led into the jet just in time to see a man supporting Lawrence, practically dragging him into the plane. Lawrence stumbled and nearly fell. The man jerked him to his feet, and they disappeared inside.

  Danny quickly texted Ryan, making sure he knew Lawrence was onboard the jet.

  Danny’s camouflage suddenly stopped moving. The porter left the cart and went back to get the rest of the bags. Danny was stranded at a conveyer belt used to transport the luggage up into the cargo hold of the plane.

  The jet’s engines rumbled as they powered up, preparing for takeoff. For the moment
, no one was looking this way. But Danny knew if the jet took off, Lawrence and Nadia might be lost forever.

  He was quickly running out of time and options.

  What would Ryan do?

  With sudden inspiration, Danny jumped up onto the conveyer belt. He sprinted up the ramp and dived into the dark abyss of the cargo hold.

  CHAPTER

  13

  NEW JERSEY,

  USA

  i’m in!

  Ryan looked at Danny’s text in confusion, then typed back: in where? airport?

  the plane. cargo hold.

  Ryan stared at the message, not believing it. Danny was on the plane?

  r u insane? get out!

  Over the deafening roar of the jet’s engines, Ryan didn’t hear the fuel tanker start up. It began to pull away. Ryan was forced to duck behind the back wheel of the plane.

  danny?

  Ryan peeked out from behind the tire. On the other side of the plane, he saw the conveyer belt ramp being moved away. The cargo hold had been closed—with Danny trapped inside!

  Ryan had to make sure this jet didn’t take off. He dialed 911, knowing he didn’t have much time. At the front of the plane, the passenger stairway was already slowly rising. They were preparing for departure, clearing the area around the aircraft.

  “911, what’s the nature of your emergency?” said the operator.

  “A kidnapping!” Ryan yelled, but the engines were revving up, getting even louder now. The operator said something, but Ryan couldn’t make it out. This was useless. It was impossible to hear.

  Ryan eyed the back stairway as he disconnected the call. He couldn’t leave Danny alone in there.

  Thinking fast, he leaned out and shot a photo of the jet’s tail section with its distinctive lion’s head logo and the numbers that identified each individual plane. Remembering Dad’s warning that his parents’ phones might not be safe, Ryan texted the picture to Kasey instead. He just hoped she’d figure out what it meant. He only had time to dash off one quick message:

  tell my parents we’re ok but DON’T TRUST TASHA.