Saint Peter's Soldiers (A James Acton Thriller, Book #14)

by J. Robert Kennedy

  He didn’t.

  They repeated the process with the other one and Dawson activated his comm. “Bravo Team, Zero-One. We’ve taken out two guards. There may be others. Proceed with caution, out.”

  He glanced at Niner.

  “This is going to complicate things.”

  Command Center, Rocca d'Angera Castle, Angera, Italy

  Hofmeister entered the Command Center, he having been assigned to internal security while the Congress executive decided what to do about Professor Acton now that his parents and friends had been rescued. At this point Hofmeister couldn’t care less, he was more concerned about what they would decide to do with him.

  They’ll hang me for sure.

  If he was lucky.

  Or they might use him as a human test subject for the genetic experiments that took place in Building H. He had been in there only once and it was a terrifying place, an experience he never cared to repeat. The deformed creatures, creatures he had to assume were supposed to be human, the results of failed experiments, had given him nightmares for years.

  Yet he had never revealed how he had felt to anyone.

  Weakness was never tolerated.

  And should he be executed for his failure, he would die with honor, setting an example for others who would inevitably follow him.

  No one would ever know the fear he felt inside at the prospect of dying.

  He didn’t believe in God or religion or life after death. He believed in science and German superiority. Yet these past couple of days, with his own death a very distinct possibility, he found his mind wandering, wondering if there was something after death.

  Then worrying that if there were, after the life he had led, he wouldn’t be going to the nice side of the tracks.

  “Your message said there was a problem?”

  “Yes, sir,” replied Sturmmann Koenig, manning the security station. He pointed at one of the screens. This is from camera number four, southern wall.”

  Hofmeister stared at the image, half a dozen tourists sitting, taking a break from their hike. It was nothing unusual. This was, after all, a castle. Tourists came here all the time, which was why their security was all electronic, there no guards patrolling the walls. They maintained a low profile and gave the locals and the tourists no reason to be suspicious. Tourists sometimes came to the main gates, but they’d be greeted with closed doors and signs indicating it was private property.

  No one came in who wasn’t part of the Congress, or who was never leaving again.

  He watched the image for a few seconds then looked at the Sturmmann. “So? What of it?”

  “Well, they’ve been like that for almost ten minutes.”

  “So?” Hofmeister could feel his temper begin to boil.

  Control yourself.

  “Well, they haven’t moved at all.”

  Hofmeister leaned in a little closer. They were definitely moving, though not much. There was a black man who swatted at a fly, so the image wasn’t frozen. “They’re moving.”

  “Yes, but watch the black guy.”

  Hofmeister watched, the man swatting at the fly again. “See, he swats at something. Now keep watching. It goes for about thirty seconds, then…” Another swat. “See, he did it again.”

  There was a slight jerk of the picture that he had written off the first time as signal interference, it a wireless signal after all.

  “Scheisse!”

  The video was on a loop.

  “I want eyes on that wall, now!”

  Operations Center 3, CIA Headquarters, Langley, Virginia

  Leroux and his team watched a satellite image of the castle. The tracking devices on the comms the Delta team was wearing were no longer transmitting, the walls too thick, only the occasional stray signal making it out.

  But the two hundred plus heat signatures of the castle occupants were clearly visible above them.

  And there was activity.

  “Zoom in on grid Delta-Six.”

  Keys were hit and the image zoomed to show half a dozen heat signatures running toward the southern wall, all armed.

  “Sir, I think they’ve figured out the camera tap.”

  Leroux nodded, agreeing with Child’s assessment. “Try to warn them.”

  “Sir, the comms aren’t working.”

  “Keep trying, we might get lucky.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  If we don’t reach them, when they try to leave it could be a blood bath.

  Catacombs, Rocca d'Angera Castle, Angera, Italy

  Dawson pressed his finger to his ear, trying to make out the transmission. He cursed, glancing back at Niner who had his head buried in a tactical computer, a map of the catacombs displayed.

  “Did you get any of that?”

  “Nope. But I’m assuming it can’t be good since they were supposed to maintain radio silence.”

  Dawson frowned. Niner was right. He was still getting some choppy updates from the other two teams, there enough reflective surfaces for a stray signal to bounce around, but Langley was another matter, and that signal was so bad, it had to be from them.

  Somebody must have missed those two guards we took out.

  He sucked in a deep breath.

  Or they discovered we’re not sitting outside, enjoying the sunshine.

  “Let’s hurry this up.”

  Niner nodded, pointing ahead. “Sixty feet that way should be what we’re looking for.”

  Dawson moved forward, flashlight and Glock extended in front of him, covering the distance quickly. If they had been discovered already then they were most likely going to get trapped down here.

  And if I’m going out, I’m going out with a bang.

  The tunnel opened out into a huge area, the vastness eliciting a smile from Dawson.

  “Perfect.”

  All around them stood large columns stretching to the ceiling high above, each column flared at the bottom, even more so at the top. From what the plans indicated, these areas, and several others like them, were the support structure for the entire castle above them.

  Time to use a scalpel.

  Jagger rounded a corner and cursed, two guards standing there, smoking cigarettes. He squeezed the trigger on his Taser, sending 50,000 volts into the body of the first one, his buddy getting the same treatment from Atlas, neither getting a chance to say a word, instead just shaking all the way to the ground.

  He released the trigger and rushed forward, disarming his man and searching him for any comm equipment. He had a radio strapped to his belt, but nothing more. He zip-tied his man, Atlas doing the same.

  “How much farther?” he asked.

  Atlas pointed ahead. “Should be just up there.”

  “Good. That signal we got has me worried. Something’s gone wrong.”

  Atlas nodded. “Agreed. Let’s plant these charges and get the hell out of here.”

  Jimmy rounded the corner and hit a wall.

  Literally.

  He rubbed his face. “Jesus, that’s not supposed to be there.”

  Spock held his flashlight up to his face to show his grin. “That’s what you get for rushing.”

  “Hey, you heard that signal. Something’s wrong.”

  Spock nodded. “Yup.” He glanced at his computer. “This is new.”

  “Where’s the secondary detonation point?”

  “Back fifty feet then right instead of left.”

  “Let’s do it.”

  Spock led the way, both men at a jog, there no longer any time to waste. Something was clearly wrong and they had to accomplish their mission or it was all for not. Jimmy wasn’t too worried. They always seemed to find a way out, though not always unscathed. And this time the odds were overwhelming.

  Okay, maybe I’m a little worried.

  Spock deked down the opposite tunnel and they quickly found themselves in a large area with support columns extending above them. Jimmy removed his backpack and unzipped it.

  “Let’s get these char
ges set then get back to the rally point.”

  “Repeat that?”

  Hofmeister pressed the headphone against his ear, praying that he had misheard what was just said.

  “I repeat, there’s no one here.”

  Hofmeister looked up at the camera feed, it still showing the six men sitting quietly. He turned to Koenig. “You’re sure that’s the southern wall?”

  Koenig nodded. “Absolutely. They shouldn’t be able to miss them.”

  “Can you reset the cameras?”

  “I tried that but it did nothing. If it’s tapped, it’s advanced software, overriding the signal before the camera even has a chance.” He snapped his fingers. “But if I reboot the system entirely, I can reset the IP addresses and then their tap will be pointing at the wrong device. We should see the proper feed, but not without shutting down the entire system.”

  Hofmeister gripped the back of Koenig’s chair, his knuckles turning white as he glared at the computer. “Do it.” He inhaled deeply, already knowing the truth they would find. “And sound the alarm.”

  Dawson placed his final charge, setting the detonator to fifteen minutes.

  “Do you hear that?”

  He cocked an ear, listening for whatever Niner had heard. His eyes narrowed. “Is that an alarm?”

  Niner nodded. “I think so. It’s so faint it’s hard to tell.”

  Dawson cursed. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  Spock stared up, an eyebrow cocked. “Is that an alarm?”

  “Damn right it is,” said Jimmy, racing from column to column, placing his charges.

  Spock quickly placed his last few charges, keeping a wary eye out for any uninvited guests. The area was huge, and the plans showed multiple points of entry, any one of which could be regurgitating guards at them at any moment.

  He planted his last charge. “You done?”

  Jimmy was sprinting toward him. “Yup.”

  “Then let’s boogey.”

  Leroux shook his head as all hell broke loose in front of them. Dozens of people were running, their heat signatures indicating armed guards converging on the southern half of the compound, a group already heading outside the walls and toward the entry point the Delta team had used.

  “I’m counting over one hundred that appear to be armed.”

  Leroux spun toward Therrien. “Are you sure?”

  “At least.”

  They don’t stand a chance!

  He pointed at Child. “Boost the signal, we have to warn them!”

  Dawson sprinted down the corridor, Taser in one hand, Glock in the other, as Niner lit the way with a flashlight, Taser at the ready. It was definitely an alarm going off, so they knew his team was there. What they couldn’t be sure of is whether they knew where his team actually was.

  Gunfire might let them pinpoint the exact location.

  He squeezed the trigger on his Taser, the guard that had just rounded the corner shaking from the shock, his friend shouting a warning before Niner had a chance to fire his.

  Both men jerked to the ground as Dawson continued to advance, checking around the corner to see if there was anyone for the warning to reach.

  There was none.

  They quickly stripped the men of their weapons and radios, then zip-tied them.

  “I think it’s safe to say they know we’re here.”

  Dawson nodded. “Yup, which means they either found the guards we eliminated, or discovered the security tap. Either way they know we’re down here.”

  Footfalls echoed toward them, getting louder.

  Dawson holstered his Taser, switching to the Glock. “Time to commit.”

  Niner switched weapons. “With pleasure.”

  The footfalls echoed through the narrow corridor, getting louder and louder, whoever it was apparently not concerned they were going to be heard.

  A flashlight rounded the corner and Dawson dropped to one knee, aiming his flashlight at where he’d guess the man’s face would be.

  “Thunder!” he challenged.

  “Flash!”

  Dawson smiled at Jimmy’s voice.

  Nothing like going old school.

  The four men joined up, weapons lowered. “Report.”

  “All charges planted but in the secondary location. Primary was blocked by a new wall. You?”

  “All set at our primary. Did you pick up that transmission?”

  Jimmy shook his head. “We’ve been getting nothing but static. Barely heard anything you were sending.”

  “Did you run into Atlas and Jagger?”

  “Negative.”

  “You lookin’ for us?”

  Atlas’ voice echoed from farther down the corridor, his flashlight beam quickly appearing then the man himself, Jagger behind him.

  “Report.”

  “Charges set. Encountered a couple of hostiles, took them down but not out.” He glanced at the two lying nearby. “I see you found a couple too.”

  “Yeah.” Dawson pointed up. “I assume everyone is hearing that, not just me?”

  Atlas nodded. “Yup. They know we’re here.”

  Spock looked at his computer. “Which means they probably know how we got in.”

  Dawson agreed. “We need to find another way out of here.” He checked his watch. “Who’s up first?”

  Everyone glanced at their watches, Spock answering first. “Two minutes for ours.”

  “Seven for ours,” said Atlas.

  Dawson nodded. “Good, ours are eleven.” He pointed at Spock’s computer. “Which way to another drainage pipe?”

  Spock pointed from where they had just come.

  “Then let’s get moving and hope the doc does his part.”

  Acton opened the window to the hotel room, holding a hand up to his ear. “Do you hear that?”

  Reading nodded. “Sounds like an alarm. I think it’s coming from the castle.” He looked at Acton. “Did you hear any explosions?”

  Acton shook his head, turning to Verde who was on the phone. “Any word from Langley.”

  Verde nodded. “It looks like they’ve been discovered.”

  “Shit!”

  “Oh no!” cried Laura. “Have they been captured?”

  Verde shook his head. “They don’t know. If they have, their signals are still out of range.”

  “Any sign of detonations?” asked Reading, Verde relaying the question then shaking his head.

  “Negative.”

  “Then they’ve failed.” Acton’s shoulders slumped. “What the hell do we do now? If they’ve been captured, we need to tell someone, someone has to rescue them.”

  Reading jabbed a finger at him. “It’s not going to be you.”

  Acton gave him half a smile. “Yeah, yeah, I know. We better get in touch with Red. He’ll know what to—”

  The floor vibrated, glasses shaking on the table, it all over in a few seconds.

  “Did you feel that?” asked Acton, standing, his hands held out to his sides.

  “The dead felt that,” said Reading. He suddenly pointed out the window. “Look!”

  Dust was rising from the direction of the castle. There was no fire or smoke, just dust, and he recognized immediately what it was.

  Something made of heavy stone had collapsed.

  Verde handed him the phone. “That’s your cue.”

  Acton smiled, dialing.

  Hofmeister grabbed his phone, the call display indicating a blocked number, though he had a feeling who it was. “Hello?”

  “Did you get my message?”

  He immediately recognized the voice, and the words sent a pulse of rage through his body as he realized Acton was responsible for whatever had just shook the entire complex.

  But how?

  “What the hell is going on?”

  “You have five minutes to evacuate before the next detonation. I highly recommend you move. Now.”

  The call ended and Hofmeister slipped the phone into his pocket, his jaw dropping in shock
as he stared at the footage, the security cameras just completing their reboot. The entire north side of the castle lay in ruins, walls collapsed, dust everywhere, obscuring the view.

  “Casualty report?”

  Koenig shook his head. “We don’t know yet, but it should be low. They picked the emptiest part of the castle for this time of day. It’s like they knew where we weren’t.”

  Hofmeister nodded. “They’re sending a message.” He pointed at the alarm panel. “Sound the evacuation alarm.”

  Koenig’s eyes shot open wide as he stared at Hofmeister. “Are you sure?”

  “Do it! Now!” He turned to the rest of the room. “Make sure the executive is evacuated immediately, initiate total destruction of all paper and digital. Have everyone report to their evacuation rally points and await further instructions.”

  He left the room, there no time to waste, there no way to tell what building the next detonation might bring down.

  How could a lowly professor do all this?

  Dawson stared up at the ceiling, a cloud of dust slowly settling.

  “Tough old broad, but we’re going to need to get out of here. That first one was just a warning. The next two are going to take us out with them.”

  Spock waved the tablet. “There’s no way we’ll make the secondary exit point before the next detonation.”

  “Any suggestions?” asked Niner.

  Dawson pointed up. “We go topside.”

  Niner grinned. “That’s just crazy enough to work.”

  Dawson turned to Spock. “Where’s the nearest access point?”

  “We spotted one on the way to our detonation point.”

  Niner looked at him. “You mean you want us to go toward the next explosion.”

  Spock shrugged. “It’s the only way I can guarantee we get out of here. Any other location is just a guess.”

  Dawson pointed. “Then let’s move!”