Chaos

by Johansen, Iris

  Well, he’d only scratched the surface with Chaos. And he knew nothing yet about Alisa. She could only hope that it stayed that way until they could get the hell out of this place.

  But she had to be ready when that happened, and she’d need all the help she could get. She turned, entered the tent, and strode back to Natasia. “Listen to me,” she whispered as she fell to her knees beside her. “Things are getting very bad and we might not have as much time as I hoped. That means I have to trust you whether I like it or not.” She looked over her shoulder at the canvas door leading to the guard room. She could still hear them laughing and talking. “Those guards come through here checking only about every forty-five minutes to an hour and then they’re gone again. But I can’t be sure that they won’t change their routine and I have to have warning. That’s you. You keep watch, and the minute you see one of them come through that door you make noise and distract them.”

  “Distract them from what?”

  “We have to get everyone out of this tent.” She nodded at the CL-20 explosive fixed to the post. “I need to weaken those chains so that we can manage to break them.” Sasha took out the solvent she’d placed in her jacket pocket that morning. “I’ll apply the chemical to do it. All you have to do is keep watch.” She was now pouring the acid on the links connecting Jeanne’s chain to the post. “He said to give it a minute to set and then it will turn brittle.”

  “He?” Natasia’s eyes were suddenly glittering. “You do have help. You can get me out of here.” Her gaze shifted to Jeanne’s chain, which Sasha was now covering with dirt. “Why are you bothering with her? She can’t help us. If that stuff will loosen those chains, do it to mine.”

  “I believe I’ll wait and coat your chain last,” Sasha said dryly. “You’re a little too eager. I wouldn’t want you to try to slip out of here tonight on your own. They’d undoubtedly catch you, and then they’d check all the other chains and you’d ruin any chance of getting anyone else out. You know what he’d do to them if he thought we had any outside help.” She glanced at Jeanne. “You saw it.”

  “We could go together.” Natasia lifted her chin. “They might not know we had help.”

  “No,” Sasha said curtly. “My rules, Natasia.”

  “I might be able to make my own deal with Masenak.”

  “I don’t believe you’re that selfish.” She paused. “If you are, then consider who you’re dealing with. Masenak would betray any deal in a heartbeat. You’d still be stuck here.”

  She frowned. “I might still be stuck. Who’s helping you? CIA?”

  “My friends. You won’t be stuck. I trust my friends.”

  “I want to know more.”

  “When I came in here today, you had no hope at all. And you just threatened to betray your classmates. Do you think I’d trust you with information that might hurt my friends?”

  “No.” Natasia paused. “That wouldn’t be intelligent. And I would have found a way to help my friends once I was safe. I just have to think of myself first.”

  “Yes, I can see that’s a priority,” she said caustically.

  “And I might even be grateful to you if you manage to get me away from these monsters. They hurt me.” She looked impatiently around the tent. “I’ll do anything I can to help. How long is it going to take for this first step?”

  Sasha shrugged. “It’s actually forty-seven steps. Forty-seven chains to weaken so they’ll snap. I don’t know how long. I hope by the end of tomorrow. It depends how often the guards come in to check and how long they stay. It’s not a question of how fast I can do it. It only takes a minute or two—you saw how quick I was. But it might have to happen when they’re sleeping, or if I can find another reason to be here.” She had a sudden thought. “Though I might be able to use that crack Masenak made about this tent stinking. Anyway, I have to follow my usual routine and keep as many girls as I can from knowing what I’m doing.” She grimaced. “One of them might give something away. The guards are used to me bandaging and putting ointment on the girls’ scratches and wounds, but they might be suspicious if I do too much.”

  “Then you shouldn’t bother doing it,” Natasia said flatly. “We can’t trust them.”

  “I didn’t think I could trust you. But I am, so if I run across one of your friends who finds out what I’m doing I’ll have to rely on you to use all that charm and influence you ooze to keep her quiet. That shouldn’t be a problem for a well-bred, popular girl like you.” She stared her in the eye. “Will it, Natasia?”

  “Of course it won’t,” Natasia said sourly. “I just don’t see the sense of it, and I want everything to happen now.”

  “Do you think I don’t?” Sasha gathered her bandages and ointments, hid the acid blend in her jacket pocket, and started toward the next row. “So watch very close and keep me from getting caught.”

  Chapter

  7

  Border Base Camp

  You’ve been sitting there under that tree all day watching me like a hawk.” Korgan turned to Alisa with a quizzical glance. “Why? I told you why I didn’t tell you about Gilroy’s visit to Masenak’s camp. Do you actually believe I’d do anything that would upset you again? The effort wouldn’t be worthwhile.”

  “No, it did occur to me, but I agree I’m not important enough for you to waste your time.” She looked around the bustling camp that looked vaguely like a SEAL team barracks. “So I decided to watch you and try to pick up anything I could about what was going on.” Her gaze shifted to the drones stored in the munitions shed across the way. “You’re going to use those drones for the assault on Masenak’s camp? How are they different from the ordinary drones that couldn’t pierce that overhead jungle canopy?”

  “Faster, smaller, more powerful, absolutely precise. The usual drone is bat-blind in comparison. We won’t have to go overhead and through that canopy of trees. Thanks to your map of the camp, we can skim through the jungle and target the exact area where Masenak’s soldiers are located. The avoidance capability has tested out at a hundred percent as long as the correct numbers are entered. If the attack is unexpected, they’ll be able to take them out with two bombs. The cleanup team will be there to take care of the sentries and stragglers the bombs don’t get. We’ll have two trucks in the jungle near the prisoner tent with a team designated to grab the students and bring them here to the border camp.”

  “All very efficient. What if a bomb hits the prisoner tent instead?”

  “It won’t.”

  “What if one of those sentries escapes and runs to the tent and opens up fire on the girls?”

  “It won’t happen,” he said quietly. “You can sit there all day and give me what-ifs. But these men are the best, and so is my equipment. Vogel has been getting ready for this for months. What we’re doing now is only the final icing on a very lethal cake. I’ve told them the consequences if they fail, and they won’t.” He paused. “I notice you don’t mention the possibility of Sasha failing to do her part in freeing those girls.”

  “Because I can’t bear to think about it,” she said tightly. “You do know I’m going to be on the team going to get those girls from the prisoner tents to the trucks?”

  “I never thought anything else. No objections as long as you follow Vogel’s orders.”

  “Vogel?”

  “You thought it would be me? I wouldn’t trust anyone but myself to launch those drones. As soon as they’re on their way, I’ll decide whether to head for the camp to help retrieve the students or to Masenak’s helicopter if he goes on the run after the explosion. It depends on what move he makes.”

  “But you’re still hoping to trap him?”

  “Of course,” he said coolly. “But Gilroy has been questioning Baldwin all morning, and the results haven’t been promising. He’s a lousy liar and pretty stupid, which makes it hard to manipulate him.”

  “Then why not try to kill Masenak?” she asked bluntly. “You know where he is, and with all the firepower you have now,
you might be able to do it.”

  “Yes, but there are reasons I prefer to keep him alive. A trap would suit me much better.”

  “That’s not what you told me in the beginning.”

  “But then in the beginning neither of us was tempted to trust or confide in the other. You certainly weren’t, Alisa.” He got to his feet. “I’m on my way now to ask him a few questions myself. I assume you’re going to want to accompany me?”

  She nodded as she stood up. “What kind of questions are there that Gilroy couldn’t ask him?” She followed him toward the tent. “Or is all this backup in case you can’t use him as you’d prefer to do it?”

  “You’ll see for yourself,” he said wryly. “You always do.” He opened the tent door. “I’ll feel fortunate if you allow me to get in a few words now and then. But in this case, I’d like you to keep your mouth shut so that you can concentrate on any of Baldwin’s reactions I might miss. As long as you’re in the mood to observe, I might as well profit from it.”

  “By all means,” she said.

  Leo Baldwin was chained to a chair in the middle of the tent. He looked terrible, she thought. Stressed, strained, and a little wild-eyed. He was glaring at her from the moment she came into the tent. “What are you doing here, bitch? Are you reporting back to Sasha? You can’t get anything from me.”

  “I imagine we could. Gilroy hasn’t really been trying yet,” Korgan said. “And if you’re not polite to the lady, I’ll tell him to immediately change tactics.”

  “Delighted,” Gilroy murmured. “I have more interesting work to do than softening up this goon. He’s really pissed off at that kid, Sasha, and I’m tired of hearing him bad-mouth her. You said you didn’t want him damaged yet, but it’s hard to wait.”

  “It won’t be long.” Korgan took a step closer to Baldwin. “I just want to ask him a few more questions about his home away from home with Masenak.” He bent lower and looked him in the eye. “Let’s talk about Jubaldar Castle, Baldwin.”

  Baldwin stiffened. “I don’t know anything about it. I told you, I’ve never been there.”

  “Yes, that’s what you told me. But we both know that’s a lie. I want the location. I want the complete plan for Jubaldar Castle and grounds.” He paused. “And I want to know what quarters Marcus Reardon occupies when he’s at the castle. I particularly wish to know that, Baldwin.”

  Silence. “I never heard of any Reardon,” Baldwin finally said roughly. “You’re barking up the wrong tree. No castle. No one named Reardon.”

  “I’ll ask again. Where are Reardon’s quarters located? What day is he supposed to arrive at the castle?”

  “You can ask me that all night. I can’t answer what I don’t know.” He glared up at him. “Go screw yourself, Korgan.”

  Korgan slowly nodded. “Whatever. Maybe Masenak never took you to the castle. I thought you were more important to him.” He turned away. “Forget about the castle, Gilroy. Just concentrate on how to use him to get to Masenak here in the jungle.” He strode out of the tent.

  He wheeled to face Alisa as soon as she joined him. “Well?”

  “I don’t know what you want from me.” She shrugged. “He was lying. Anyone could see through him. He knows about the castle. He knows about this Marcus Reardon.” She frowned. “Though he might not know where Reardon’s quarters are located in the castle. There was something…hesitant.” She glanced at him. “Or it might mean that Reardon’s quarters aren’t in the castle? Is that possible?”

  “Anything is possible with Reardon. I thought the same thing. I just thought it likely he’d have quarters in the castle. And maybe he’s just too frightened of Reardon to talk about him. Don’t worry about it. We’ll know soon enough. I just wanted preliminary answers to the questions about the castle and Reardon so that I could have a base of comparison after Gilroy administers the zantlatin.”

  “Zantlatin?” She shook her head. “What the hell is zantlatin?”

  “A form of truth serum that was recently developed in one of my labs in Bolivia.”

  “Truth serums don’t work,” she said flatly. “The CIA has been experimenting with them for years, and even sodium pentothal isn’t reliable. You might get a little truth, but you’re more likely to get fantasy, deception, and garbled speech. You’re better off getting the subject drunk.”

  “Which produces the same effect. That’s why I thought I should find a truth serum that did work. Torture can be satisfying on occasion, but it’s messy and not always reliable, either. Dr. Gonzalez worked very hard at producing a pharmaceutical that was foolproof and didn’t involve fantasy but what the subject believed to be reality.” He smiled. “And by combining it with certain other chemicals, it removes the memory of the subject ever receiving the injection; they believe they never divulged anything they didn’t wish to reveal. It also can make the subject believe that he’s felt and done anything the controller suggests to him.”

  She gave a low whistle. “Holy shit,” she said. “Why didn’t the CIA ever find out this stuff existed?”

  “Because Dr. Gonzalez isn’t a trusting man. He didn’t want to work with either the drug cartels or the FBI or CIA. He wanted to pocket his money in a bank in the Caymans and give me the headache of patenting it whenever I chose to. I believe he’s currently living on an island near Fiji.”

  “That you found for him? Evidently he trusted you.”

  “Sometimes people do,” he said mockingly. “Gonzalez knew a discovery like that could be dangerous to his health and thought that I could handle it better. I don’t know why. I’m such a peaceful man.”

  “Are you finished with him?” The tent door was pushed open, and Gilroy came out. “I’m sick of this.” His gaze was on the bustle going on down at the munitions shed. “I have to check out that helicopter and do something besides hold the bastard’s hand.” His gaze shifted back to Korgan. “Zantlatin?”

  Korgan nodded. “I want to know everything about that castle and what goes on there. I want to know how Masenak feels about Reardon and the race. Squeeze him. Record it. Everything.”

  Gilroy made a face. “If I’m going to get you everything, I’m still going to be closeted with Baldwin for most of the day. You don’t want him to remember anything about the interrogation?”

  He shook his head. “It might not matter, but I don’t want to take any chances.”

  “Okay, at least then I’ll be done with the son of a bitch.” He ducked back into the tent.

  Alisa’s gaze went back to Korgan. “Gilroy always knew you were probably going to use that zantlatin?”

  “He knows I prefer it. But a show of force is always more intimidating as a lead-in for the drug. And it’s better if the subject goes under the drug thinking he’s being physically tortured. It helps the illusion when he comes out of it.” He tilted his head. “I don’t have to tell you that I’m trusting you not to reveal anything about zantlatin to Langley. It would cause me difficulties.”

  “Trusting me?” Her brows rose. “How unusual. I’m surprised I’ve at last earned back your trust.” She paused. “Since you just said that neither of us have been able to trust each other from the beginning.”

  “We’re getting there,” he said quietly. “If you give me your word, I know that no one will hear about zantlatin from you.”

  “Then I’ll give you my word.” She smiled recklessly. “But you aren’t being fair. I want payback. Stop leaving me in the dark. Tell me what’s going on at that castle, and who the hell this Marcus Reardon is. I promised you I’d help you get Masenak when this was over. You never said anything about anyone else.”

  He nodded. “Reardon wasn’t in the deal. I might not even need you for Masenak if Baldwin gives me enough info.”

  “But I want to know about Reardon, too. And I want to know what Masenak did to you that made you go after him.”

  “You said it didn’t matter.”

  “It matters. Because you know everything about me.”

  He chu
ckled. “And you’re curious?”

  “You can call it that.” It wasn’t curiosity. It felt more urgent, yet more intimate. She wasn’t sure what it was and didn’t want to put a name to it. She certainly didn’t want Korgan to take apart what she was feeling. She just knew she had to know what had hurt him…and share it.

  His smile faded as he gazed at her expression. Finally he slowly nodded. “Okay. Trust deserves trust.” He strode over to the lake and sat down beneath a palm tree. “I wouldn’t want to be the one to refuse to break new ground.”

  “Masenak,” she said as she dropped down on the ground beside him. “What did he do to you?”

  He lifted his shoulders in a half shrug. “Killed a friend, burned a village, destroyed a way of life. The usual things Masenak does so well.”

  “That’s no answer.”

  “It’s a very good answer. Quite complete. I don’t believe I left out anything.”

  “You left out the beginning, the middle, and the end,” she said brusquely. “You cheated.”

  “And you’re not going to let me get away with it?”

  “I can’t do anything about it if you’re going to cheat.” She met his eyes. “Except be disappointed in the man I believed you to be. But then what do I really know about Gabe Korgan?”

  He tilted his head. “Subtle, and yet a very telling blow. Entirely worthy of you.”

  She waited.

  He picked up a rock and threw it into the lake. “The beginning was a letter I received several years ago from a college student attending classes at Cairo University. His name was Karim Raschid, and it took almost three months to get to me because my secretary thought it just another request for a donation and was just going to send it to the appropriate office for consideration. But Vogel ran across it because the student had also sent a copy to my head engineer in the drone laboratory in California.” He smiled. “Karim was nothing if not determined. He’d decided I had what he needed, and he wasn’t going to give up until he got it. Rather like you, Alisa.”